Life in This New World
by Pluto Skull Productions
Summary: After an unknown event kills three-fourths of the planet, the Eds struggle to survive in a harsh world. But as they take on more jobs, their fates become entangled with the rest of the world. But what sacrifices will they make?
1. Chapter 1: The Assassination Attempt

_Author's Notes: I tried writing many fics that put the Eds in a world of chaos type of situation, and this seemed to be the only one that worked for me. But I don't want to reveal anything just yet, so I'm getting ahead of myself. Hope you enjoy the story._

_I do not own Ed, Edd, n Eddy or anything I reference. The idea that Peach Creek is in New Jersey goes to Ziggon, who has very detailed theories on the Ed, Edd n Eddy series._

_Warning: Some of the characters have radically changed. No, this whole fic is a bit radical. I'll just say this: These are not the once mischievous children of the cul-de-sac. They are kids in a world that is radically different from ours. Though they still retain much of their defining characteristics._

* * *

_July 10, 2010_

_No one knows how. No one knows why. No one knows who or what did it. But on this date three-fourths of Earth's population died. Empires fell, wars were put on hold, some people lost everything, and in the nations where there was still a functional government, martial law was declared. One area, Peach Creek, New Jersey, was hit particularly badly. Only 12 survivors were found in one of said survivors' basement. No one expected what would happen afterward…_

* * *

Chapter 1: The Assassination Attempt

August 3, 2013

A crowd gathered in Lemon Brook City's square. Senator Johnson Warren was there making a speech about how after three years of martial law, a 74 unemployment rate, and a minimum wage a 50 cents a day would be changed soon.

The people, however, didn't believe any of this. They had heard the same deals before, some by this very same man, and all that ever happened was that things became worse. So why should they believe them now? They were poor, dirty, starved and broken. Their cities were in ruins, and there was nowhere to live for most of them. Their government was corrupted and only interested in filling their own pockets.

Well, it seemed that someone had had enough of this.

A boy draped in a cloak with the hood up, a common look nowadays, looked toward the rooftop of a rundown apartment building. He quickly spotted two similarly garbed people up there with a sniper rifle.

He pulled a small knife out of its sheath several times in a pattern. The shine of the sun reflected off it and at the cloaked snipers. The shortest of the garbed people responded in a similar fashion with a pocket knife. He then turned his head towards the stage.

Senator Warren walked on with several large bodyguards, each armed with a small handgun or a shotgun. Very few members of the crowd cheered during his walk on.

Despite what one would imagine, Senator Warren looked quite young. Some would say too to be a Senator, but people couldn't elect government officials anymore. That was the Council of Thirteen's job. And to make matter's worse was that he had known connections to several criminal organizations. Some of his bodyguards could have even been convicts.

The Senator made several clearly fake coughs in order to grabbed all the attention he could. He then began his speech in a slightly hoarse, but dramatic voice. "My fellow Americans, I know that the past three years have been hard on us all. Losing our beloveds, losing your shops, three years of martial law and what some of you see as national corruption. But they are, and shall be, restrictions put into effect until the world stabilizes itself again. And that is why I am here. I am here to announce the Food Limitation Act which shall control those who are stealing food from others, by limiting the food you buy each trip to the market to four pounds and raising the tax on food!"

The crowd started yelling and cursing as Warren continued his speech. The cloaked boy again pulled out his knife slightly, signaling his companions. In another part of the crowd, a similarly garbed boy pulled out a walky-talky. His companion's eyes wondered from store to store as if looking for some type of sacred object.

"Can you make him shut up, Eddy?" He asked. "He's just saying the same bull he's told us all before."

The shortest boy on the roof, Eddy, picked up his own walky-talky. "Not yet Jonny boy. Ed's waiting for one of the guards to move his head."

"I got a good shot, Eddy." Ed whispered.

"Take it!"

* * *

Each guard forced the Senator to the ground as a gunshot rang out. One guard fell to the ground clutching his leg, his pants stained red.

"Get him outta here!" The lead guard said, joining two others in surveying the area.

"Up there!" The guards aimed their shotguns up at the rooftop. Ed ducked barely in time, hearing the bullets whiz right past his ear. More guards joined them, and about three others pointed their guns at the crowd, ready to take down more would-be assassins.

"Don't let the Senator get away!" The garbed boy ordered.

"Rolf shall not fail until he has a cell phone!" Rolf pulled out a rifle and aimed it at the group of guards. It could have been mistaken for any other kind of rifle if it weren't for the numerous additional barrels and the word _'Hydra'_ engraved on each.

"What the hell?!" Several guards doubled over when Rolf pulled the trigger. One fell unconscious as soon as it felt as if someone chopped off everything below his knees.

However, that one shot exhausted all his ammunition. And the other guards quickly took advantage of that.

"Dammit!" Rolf shouted, a bullet piercing his cloak. Jonny, using the crowd's heads as stepping stools, jumped over Rolf, firing off several rounds from his pistol.

Eddy, noticing that the guards stopped shooting at them, scrambled to grab the sniper rifle and shot several bullets into the group of guards.

He and Jonny counted their killing spree until there were only three guards left. The cloaked boy, by now it was apparent that he was their commander, gave a hand signal for a cease fire.

"Shoot 'em down!" One guard yelled, aiming at the boy. Before he even fired, the boy had disappeared.

_"Where the hell did he go?!"_ Suddenly his shotgun was knocked from his hand, soaring about five feet behind the boy, who appeared in front of him with a flash.

"What the hell are you, ya bit-" His insult was cut off the moment the boy pulled the triggers of his two bladed handguns (Think of something similar to a handgun with a knife welded to it or something). He and another of the guards fell to the ground with a loud thud, and a small pool of blood covered the stage, continuing to grow.

With his impossibly speedy dash, he had never even noticed his hood fly off. A black sock-like hat covered his head, though it let his slightly long hair stick out a bit. And, with apparent effort, he was not trying to scream at the dead bodies in front of him.

"Watta go, Double D!" Jonny cheered.

Double D tried to keep his face as emotionless as possible. Aiming the guns at the back of the last guard's head, who had dropped his gun by now, he spoke. "Where is Senator Warren going to be tomorrow? Tell me or I will be forced to do something I don't want to do!"

"How did you do all that?" The guard answered nervously. "Your all nothing but kids!"

"Answer the question!" Double D demanded, now pressing the gun against the man's head.

The guard sighed. "He'll be boarding his private jet tonight at 8 pm, en route to New Orleans. There will be five guards, ten after what you just pulled, maybe twenty, and an armed pilot and co-pilot. Please don't kill me!"

"Thank you." Double D re-aimed his guns at the man's elbows and fired, then did the same thing with the man's knees.

The guard fell to the ground. He was alive, in pain, but alive.

"Let's head back to base." Double D sighed. Another failed job. Guess they would have to do their refund policy again.

Rolf searched each guard's corpse, plucking two cell phones out of their pockets. But threw one away, a stray bullet had pierced its screen.

"Finally, like Rolf's friends, Rolf now has a cell phone." He sighed.

"Let's move it Rolf!" Jonny said, putting the key in the ignition of a small jeep. "More will be on the way soon!"

"I concur! We must leave!" Double D commanded, mounting a jet black motorcycle and placing his guns in separate compartments.

They speed through the roads at reckless speeds with several military and police cars behind them. They didn't need to worry about crashing into other cars. In the summer of 2011, most people had turned in their cars for a small amount of money or food.

Double D turned at an exit, about a third of cars followed him. He pulled out his cell phone, calling Eddy on speed dial.

"Eddy, are you and Ed still on the rooftops?" He yelled over the sound of gunfire.

"Yeah? What do ya need?" Eddy answered.

"I need you and Ed to snipe some police vehicles on the main highway." Double D looked ahead, spotting a tunnel. "I'm going into the tunnel. Please hurry."

"Can do." He shut off the phone and took several spiked balls out of one of his motorcycles numerous compartments.

Throwing the balls behind him as hard as he could, the rolled along the road until the tires of the cars hit them. About half of the cars in pursuit were either sent flying or spiraled out of control.

Riding up the tunnels walls, Double D continued to dodge the seemingly never ending bullets. They finally exited the tunnel with five cars still on his tail.

Double D put on an ear piece, again calling Eddy and, thanks to several technological advancements in the last three years, Jonny at the same time.

"Eddy, are you in position?"

"Yeah. Got the rifle aimed at the lead car."

"Good. Fire at will." Double D looked over to see Jonny's jeep, named _'Plank'_ after his former imaginary friend, coming down a ramp with only two cars following. "Jonny, the ramp you're on leads directly to me. Tell Rolf to ready his rifle. I'll take care of your pursuers."

"Affirmative, sir!" He said.

Double D started driving parallel to Jonny once he made it to the highway. He continued watching the pursuing cars until the window shields of two of them shattered. The two cars stopped and disappeared behind a curve in the road.

Rolf aimed out of the window of the jeep. Five of _Hydra_'s barrels fired off and ripped through the front of one of the cars.

Eddy continued firing until he managed to run out of rounds and disabled three more cars, leaving only one left. "I'm outta ammo!"

"Rolf also ran out, Double D!"

"Right." Double D pressed a button, putting his motorcycle on auto-pilot. He pulled both of his guns out of their compartments as well. "Go on ahead. I'll catch up soon."

"What are you doing Double D?!" Ed gasped.

"Something I don't want to do…" Double D sighed and did an impossible jump from his motorcycle onto the hood of the military car.

"What the hell?!" The lieutenant cried out. Double D raised his guns just before one of soldiers even lifted his machine gun. After firing off several rounds, shattering the windshield into billions of pieces, the slowly car came to a stop. Its occupants were now no more.

"Sorry." Double D said. He knew that no one heard nor cared for his apologies, but it made him feel less guilty of what he's done. All this was done just for him and his friends' survival.

He silently turned and began walking, not wanting to look at his handiwork any longer. His motorcycle was programmed to stop after going a certain distance, so it had to be nearby…

* * *

_Author's Notes: This… This was so hardcore for Ed, Edd n Eddy. But like I said, these are not the same boys we've known for so long. These types of places can radically change a person. Plus I reference Final Fantasy quite a few times. The Hydra is a reference to Vincent Valentine's gun Cerberus. As is his need to find a cell phone. And Double D's motorcycle (which does I have a name. I just need to narrow the names down a bit) is a slight reference to Fenrir. Until next chapter._


	2. Chapter 2: Second Chance or Bust!

_Author's Notes: Wow. Chapter 2 already! Alright, here we go!_

* * *

Chapter 2: Second Chance or Bust!

Double D stopped his motorcycle, named '_Ultimate Unit: Gear I'_, after his favorite mythological animal, outside a building called Café K. Though the sign on its glass door said that they were closed, which was odd since it was only 3:00, there were several people inside.

He walked through the door, eyeing each member of his teenaged mercenary company, The New Dawn.

They had used this place as a base of operations for about 7 months now. It was run by the Kanker Sisters every since late 2010, or "The Year of Death" as it was called.

Jimmy and Sarah were in the kitchen, cleaning up the pots and pans they cooked with today, while Nazz, May, and Lee cleaned the tables. Ed, Eddy, Jonny, and Rolf sat a one of the tables, apparently trying to hack into Rolf's new phone. Getting a phone was one of his ambitions, since each one of them had one except him and they were no longer available to the public. Marie was also in the kitchen, preparing them some food.

They all stopped their respective activities when Double D got halfway across the room.

"Double D!" Ed cried, hugging him breathless and making a puddle on the floor with his tears.

"What happened?" Nazz asked her tone very strict. "The others said you ditched them and took on an entire task force!"

"I'm alright." Double D answered, finally managing to free himself from Ed. "I just took care of them before they could kill us."

"It was still stupid and reckless!" Lee said.

"What did you want me to do?!" Double D shouted, his blood starting to boil. "Lead them back here to arrest you, your sisters, Sarah, Jimmy, and Nazz?!"

"Double D's right." Jonny said. "We elected him leader. We were out of ammo, and he did what he thought was best. Let's just leave it at that."

They all calmed down and gathered around a table. Double D had some important announcement.

"Now, then. I have found out from one of the bodyguards that Senator Warren will be boarding his private jet tonight at 8. There will be at least ten guards. Twenty, at most. I want Eddy and Jonny to be ready to go immediately. Ed, Rolf, I want you two to stay here." He spoke before they could protest. "That's an order."

Ed and Rolf sighed and sat back down.

"Why must we do this?!" Jimmy sobbed.

"Better than starving to death." Eddy muttered.

"Now I must alert our employer of this development before they revoke our payment." Double D stood up and walked away toward a door, joined by his fellow Eds, May, Nazz and Marie.

Double D slowed his walk until he walked next to Marie. Over the past few years, everyone from the cul-de-sac came to be able to live with each other very well. The Eds and Kankers even became good friends.

"I've got your regular dose of milk and the weird medicine you made." She said, handing him a cup of low fat milk and three dark purplish pills.

"Lee seemed on edge today." Double D said, swallowing the milk and pills.

"A member of the military came by today." She sighed. "We were all so scared. Until he said that he had a message for Nazz."

"For Nazz?" He wondered. "From who?"

"Kevin."

The Eds, Jonny, and Rolf all stopped dead in mid-action. Rolf didn't even notice that the knife he was sharpening landed between his toes.

"Why?" Eddy asked. Everyone thought very bitterly of Kevin after he left. There had been an argument over whether he or "Double Dweeb" was a more capable leader. After they chose Double D, he left in the dead of night and a military S.W.A.T. team was in their old base by morning. That was almost two and a half years ago.

Lee cursed several times under here breath. "He's been accepted into the military. Only fifteen and he has already been granted the rank of lieutenant."

"Well, nothing we can do about it I suppose." Double D sighed. He turned to Marie trying to lighten the mood. "So, how was business today?"

"Pretty much the same as always." Marie chuckled. "Slow."

Double D opened the door and walked into the backroom. "Well at least that hasn't changed."

The backroom was dimly lit. Several computer monitors and PC towers were set up on three desks. One large flat screen was set up on the back wall.

Double D pressed a button and spoke into a microphone. "Employer #20. AKA line."

They all looked up to the flat screen to be greeted by static until it cleared up and the outline of a man, though heavily shadowed, appeared.

"Sir, the job you gave us was-"

"I know the outcome." He said, using a voice changer. "I've been watching the news." He typed on his computer until he held a single finger over a button. "Now, unless you have something else to say, I shall use your refund policy to its fullest."

"Senator Warren will be at the airport tonight." Double D answered, now thankful for the fact that he too had a voice changer and that all that man on the other end saw was a very artistic 'ND,' courtesy of Jimmy. "We plan to be there."

The man removed his finger from the keyboard. "This is your last chance. Don't screw it up. If you get this done, I'll have another job for you. _If_." The connection was cut and the screen went blank.

"Great." May sighed. "That was close."

"Agreed." Double D said.

* * *

Double D sat in the far corner of the café, with a cup of milk and one of his guns, though he had disassembled it and began cleaning its insides.

A cat he had picked up in an alley one day jumped into his lap. It was a nice Calico that Jimmy and Sarah had decided to name Princess Ginger Periwinkle or just Ginger for short. She had decided that she wanted some of Double D's low fat milk.

"Sorry Ginger. Not today." He sighed, patting her head.

"Hiya Double D." Eddy said. "I was just wondering-"

"Eddy, I am not telling you where I got my abilities." Double D answered, knowing his question. This was one of the several times he attempted to ask that.

"Oh come on!" Eddy groaned. "You screwed up your first mission as leader, then ya disappeared for a whole week. And finally, when you came back, you're smarter than ever, stronger, and can move with some kinda super speed!"

"For the last time, Eddy, I am not telling you where my abilities came from! And that is final!" Double D shouted, scaring Ginger right off him.

"Does it have something to do with your hat?" Eddy continued.

"Leave him alone." Marie said, coming up behind him. Eddy, knowing that the Kankers could still cream him, scrambled over to the table where Jonny and Ed were sitting.

"Why must he be so persistent?" Double D sighed, loading in a new magazine. "He's always asking, and I always will give him the same answer."

"He does have a point though." Marie said, taking a seat. She started working on tomorrow's menu. "Every since we were all kids, you've just been a big mystery. Showing up out of nowhere, hiding something under that hat. Then you just disappear and come back with this strange super speed thing and the need to drink milk regularly with those pills."

"I…" His voice trailed off, not wanting to answer her, yet couldn't come up with a viable excuse.

Double D placed the gun in its holster. He looked over to the clock. It was 6:37 PM.

"Eddy, Jonny, it's time to move out." Double D said, heading for the garage. "Grab whatever you need and meet me in the garage in 5 minutes."

"I'm coming too!" Nazz said, gathering a small bag.

"Same here." Marie said.

"No." Double D said plainly. "I promised Kevin and Lee that you two wouldn't get hurt by our 'transactions.' I can't ri-"

"Oh spare me that load of crap." Marie sighed. "Face it, you need some of the airport security distracted during this-"

Nazz continued her sentence. "-and who better than a couple of good-looking gals like us?"

"I can't say anything about Nazz, other than to stick close by and to use common sense." Double D sighed, defeated. "But I'll need Lee's permission in your case Marie. She is your legal guardian and I promised her."

"Right on!" Nazz cheered.

"Alright." Marie sighed.

"Well, what do you think Lee?" Double D asked.

Lee leaned against the wall and scratched her head several times before answering. "Marie, you're 15. I think I lost the ability and right to tell you what to do awhile ago." She walked over and hugged Marie. "If Double D will take you, it's alright with me."

"Sweet!" Marie shouted, jumping up and down with joy, enthusiasm, and a somewhat victory-like feeling.

"Well, let's go." Double D said. "We'll be taking the regular car. It might be suspicious if we go there with the motorcycle or jeep." They followed him to the garage where a red SUV sat.

Double D tossed Jonny a set a keys. "You're driving."

"Why Jonny?" Eddy asked. "I drive better!"

"He doesn't enter parking lots at 115 miles an hour."

"And he can see over the dashboard." Marie added.

"Thanks Double D!" Jonny said, jumping into the driver's seat.

* * *

It was only a short drive to the airport, due to the fact it was just outside the city. But they wanted to get there early.

Jonny and Nazz sat in the driver's and shotgun seats, while Marie, Eddy and Double D sat in the back, trying to draw up a plan.

"I brought some of Rolf's bombs, so why don't we just the place up?" Eddy said.

"Because that will kill a massive amount of people who are not even involved in this." Double D said, thinking. "Wait… I've got it."

He pulled out a map of the airport. "Here's my plan: While Nazz and Marie are distracting the guards, I will sneak in and grab some of the uniforms of the Senator's guards. Then Jonny and Eddy will accompany me in sneaking onto the plane, where will kill the Senator and get out as fast as possible."

"Sounds good to me." Jonny said.

"I'm up for it." Eddy said, attempting to stash Rolf's custom explosive in a pocket.

"Give me that!" Double D said, grabbing the bomb.

The car parked in the semi-filled parking lot of the airport. Through the crowds, cars, and boxes, they could see the Senator's limousine pulling up to the airport entrance.

After donning more civilian looking clothing, Eddy, Jonny, and Double D joined Nazz and Marie outside the car.

"Been awhile since we've worn these." Eddy commented trying to stretch his leather jacket.

"Too true." Double D agreed, wearing an orange shirt underneath a white casual jacket. Unlike Eddy's clothes however, his fit perfectly.

Silently, they started walking towards the airport, no longer used to the loudness of crowds.

* * *

_Author's Notes: Well that's it for this chapter. More like one of those chapters that gives a break from action to spice up the story. I think I may have hinted at a pairing but I'm going to shut up about it. Plus I laid down the mysteries for Double D's 'powers.'_

_P.S. The Name of Double D's motorcycle, _'Ultimate Unit: Gear I'_, is a reference to the base of this story, where the Eds were government super soldiers undergoing a testing in the public domain, AKA Peach Creek. Gear I was the Eds unit name._


	3. Chapter 3: Finally a Sucess!

_Author's Notes: Wow, chapter three! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They are truly appreciated!_

_P.S. I've never been in an airport, so I don't know an airport's layout or how they number the flights._

* * *

Chapter 3: Finally a Success!

"Why do these suits have to be so darn itchy?" Jonny said, walking out of a dressing room in a guard's uniform.

"I would have expected better security to be guarding the 'Security Dressing Room.'" Double D said, helping Eddy shove three unconscious guards into a locker.

After exiting the dressing room, Double D tipped his beret, which was covering his signature sock hat, to Nazz and Marie. They ran off and disappeared into the continually shifting crowds.

"Ready?" Double D asked. Eddy and Jonny nodded and loaded their handguns. Most of the crowd moved out of the way as the walked toward a nearby counter.

"Do your 'thing.'" Double D ordered to Eddy.

"Excuse me, miss." Eddy said, pulling out a wallet. "My name is Ricardo, and I'm with Senator Johnson Warren's bodyguards on his flight tonight. However, the flight number they gave me was wrong and I need to know the right one."

"Alright." The receptionist said. He turned to a touch screen computer and pressed on several buttons on screen, and then she turned back to Eddy. "I cannot give you the Senator's flight number until you give me the security number." She looked at Eddy oddly. "Mr. Ricardo, are you feeling hot? You're sweating terribly. And aren't you kind of short to be a bodyguard?"

Eddy wiped his head a bit, trying to come up with story. "Yes, well, um… These suits are quite tight and heavy, aren't they boys?" He answered, looking over to Double D and Jonny, who nodded nervously.

"And kinda itchy." Jonny nodded.

_"This isn't going well." _Double D thought.

"I'm calling security!" She threatened, picking up the nearby phone and dialing. But before she could press the last few numbers, Double D was right behind her with a handkerchief over her mouth.

"What are you-" The moment she took in air, she felt light headed and fell unconscious. Double D then flashed away with the woman. After a few seconds he reappeared next to Eddy, stuffing the cloth into a pocket.

"Knock out gas." Double D said.

"That's cool." Jonny said, turning the touch screen monitor around. "Says here that Warren's flight number is 61."

"Let's go." Eddy said.

After navigating through the crowd, they found the gate to flight 61. A line of at least 25 guards were outside the plane, having their weapons checked by a guard with metal braces on his elbows and knees.

_"I hope that isn't who I think it is!"_ Double D mentally shouted. "I think that the lead guard here is the one I shot in the joints!" He pointed over to the braced man.

"Oh shit!" Eddy exclaimed, pulling the beret slightly over Double D's eyes. "If he recognizes you, we're dead meat!"

They silently got to the back of the line as another group of guards was checked. It was only a very short matter of time before they would be checked. In fact, they were next!

"Next." The guard said. He looked at Double D oddly, shrugged and spoke to Eddy. "So you're Mr. Ricardo, of the extra bodyguards we hired?"

It took Eddy a few seconds to overcome the shock that one of the men they were impersonating actually had the same name of the pseudo identity he used early. "Uh, yeah, we're them."

"You may call me Derrick Jones." He said taking their weapons. "Now let's see what you got." He picked up Jonny's gun. "A modified pistol. Shortened to be more concealable." He picked up Eddy's. "Modified revolver. Has twelve shots." He eyed Double D's suspiciously. "Well I'll be. Two identical custom handguns with changeable blade attachments!"

He snapped his fingers, and the guards around him surrounded them and aimed their guns at them. Derrick lip curled as he spoke, tearing off Double D's beret and shoving him to the ground. "The very same ones that shattered the bones in my joints!"

"The jig's up!" Eddy said, firing his revolver at the guards with Jonny copying his action.

Double D however, being unarmed, dashed and elbowed Derrick in stomach, who dropped Double D's guns and flew into the jet's wheel. Grabbing his bladed guns, Double D ran at the guards, switching between firing at them and stabbing them.

* * *

The blow didn't hurt Derrick too much. He was already up and on the stairs to the plane's inside. The co-pilot, hearing the sounds of the battle, rushed outside the plane to meet him.

"Are you alright, sir?!" He asked. He moved to help Derrick inside, but had his arm slapped away.

"Just shut up and get the plane air born!"

The co-pilot only nodded and ran back into the plane, with Derrick following him.

* * *

Eddy looked over towards the plane, which was slowly moving away from them.

"Double D, forget me and Jonny!" Eddy pleaded over the sound of the plane, a feat that some people would say he was incapable of doing. "The plane's leaving, and we can take care of ourselves!"

Double D nodded and ran towards the plane. The entrance door was still semi-open, giving him a way onto the plane.

Mustering his strength, he jumped a good twenty to thirty feet into the air and grabbed the handle of the door. After swinging on the door, he managed to get inside the plane and close the door. He immediately had to duck behind a corner to avoid a barrage of bullet fire. After two pauses in the noise of the gunfire, he ran out into the hall and killed the guards there, three shots for three guards.

He walked to the door at the end of the hallway. After pulling the knob several times, Double D realized that it was locked. He peered through the window in the door, and saw the senator, sitting in a chair surrounded by two guards.

"Now I'm glad I took this." Double D said, taking out Rolf's explosive.

He planted it on the floor and programmed the timer to fire off the explosive in six minutes.

Running back to the door, he grabbed a parachute pack. After opening the door, and grabbing a handle, he waited for the air born plan to reach a safe parachuting altitude.

* * *

Derrick Jones stood next to Senator Warren. After the plane took off, they had heard the sound of gunfire inside the plane, followed by three more shots, then absolute silence.

"W-what are y-you waiting f-for?!" Warren shouted, his voice echoed with terror. "Go check it out, Jones!"

"Yes sir." Derrick said, unlocking the door.

The moment he opened the door, he closed it again to block the bullets heading towards him. Double D let go of the handle and was flung out the door by the wind. Derrick ran over to the door and spotted Double D opening his parachute.

"That freak!" He grunted. "But why did he leave?"

His question was unfortunately answered when he heard a loud, blaring beep. Back by the door behind him was a black box with several wires weaving in and out of it. Its monochrome screen read: 00m: 10s: 59ss.

"A bomb!" Derrick shouted, causing the guards to scramble, try to lead the senator to the back, or just panic and scream at the top of their lungs.

00m: 06s: 37ss.

Get him over here!" A guard said, grabbing the senator and strapping a parachute pack on him. Derrick also put one on.

00m: 00s: 03ss.

Derrick and Warren jumped off the plane, just as it exploded. The senator, in all his screaming and panicking, pulled the string of the parachute pack. The drag of the parachute carried him back up to the burning and exploding aerial craft, and to his death…

"NO!" Derrick shouted. After a few moments he straight out his body and after going a good distance, he pulled the string and activated the parachute.

_"I'm going to get you for this, you damn kid!"_ Derrick thought, slowly floating back to the ground, whilst burning wreckage dropped past him. _"I'm going to get you, your family, and your friends. Every single one of them! Even if it's the last thing I do!"_

* * *

"Yatta go Double D!" Eddy said, giving Double D a high five the moment he touched down. "That was awesome."

"Too true!" Jonny agreed.

Double D detached the pack and walked past them both. "Let's go find Marie and Nazz. Then get out of here before the military show up and detain everyone." His voice twitched with pain, despite the fact he wasn't even harmed.

Eddy walked behind him, eyeing him oddly. _"What's up with him? We just got a job done for once, for crying out loud!"_

* * *

Jonny drove the SUV carefully through the city streets, while Double D, Eddy, Marie and Nazz sat in back.

"What was that boom that happened?" Nazz asked. "It sounded like an explosion."

Double D, after coming from the very back with a cup of milk and pills, rubbed his eyes tiredly. "That was the sound of an explosion." He put the cups to his lips and chugged it all down. "The lead guard there was one of the guards at the speech, and he recognized me."

"Not exactly the whole 'get in, get out' thing you were hoping for, right?" Marie sighed. "We're just glad you're okay."

"Right." Double D said, not really listening. For the rest of the way he looked out the window, watching each store, house, or person as they passed by.

* * *

Double D, Eddy, Ed, Marie, Lee, Nazz, and May sat in front of the large screen, preparing to call their employer.

"Employer #20. AKA Line." May said, speaking into her microphone. The screen became lit by its usual static, then their employer's shadowy outline.

"Well done. I especially liked the little explosion!" He said. "You have your payment." He pressed a button and a loading bar came up and filled.

"Thank you." Double D said, preparing to cut the line. "I believe we have no further business. If you have anymore jobs, you know how to contact us."

The man showed a quite visible smile. "Well, I believe that we have further business, Eddward, leader of New Dawn. You passed" The man gave him a motion that basically meant 'You know what to do.'

Double D took his finger off the microphone on button, muting the any noise to the shadowed man, and turned to his friends.

"You all must leave the room now." He said, deadpan and serious.

The other kids only gave blank stares.

"H-how did he know your name?!" May asked. "And what did he mean by test?!"

"Leave, NOW!" Double D ordered again. Each kid got up and left the room, only stopping to look back.

Double D turned back to the screen, where the shadowed man was getting up from his chair.

"I believe you are quite acquainted with my boss." He chuckled. "P.S., Your nice little sign was deactivated a while ago. We can see quite clearly."

The lighting on the screen went up as the man left. The room behind the desk looked to be the stereotypical CEO office in a corporate building. Complete with wall sized windows, of course.

The man who took the other's place looked very tired. His lab coat was ripped and stained. His graying, black hair was greasy and untidy. And his glasses looked lopsided. It was apparent that he had been working hard for a long while.

"Hello, Mr. Eddward." He said his voice quite raspy. "I trust you found your abilities quite satisfactory?"

Double D thought for a moment, picking his words carefully. "Yes, I do. Biological engineering and an object of unknown origin go a long way, Dr. Metchel."

"Heh ha ha ha ha!" Metchel laughed. "Well, now I've come to collect on the debt. Remember the deal?"

Double D nodded. "One free job. No questions asked."

"Yes, no questions." Metchel chuckled, pulling out a small box with a red box. "Or the failsafe I planted does its job." The doctor turned to his computer and typed up something.

"I'm sending you a document with the details of the job." Metchel said. "Remember: get it done exactly as it says on the file." Double D turned to the computer as a worded document came up. He looked at every single detail, loaded the document onto his laptop, and deleted the original. Hopefully May, their local hacker, wouldn't be able to recover it.

"This mission is asking a lot, even for someone like me." Double D said.

"I trust you'll get it done." Metchel said, smiling quite disturbingly.

* * *

_Authors Notes: They got the job done. Hopefully I didn't reveal too much about where Double D's abilities came from. But that still doesn't mean that I don't want to hear your theories! Post them, but I will not confirm or deny._


	4. Chapter 4: R&R Or Not!

_Author's notes: Yeah, I know that I haven't updated this story in a while, but I've been trying to focus on one of my other stories and get it done and I have an idea for a new story, so I'm trying to work that one out as well. So you can expect it to be another long while before I update this story again. But for now, enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

Chapter 4: R &R……Not!

Double D left the backroom in no rush, but the moment the door closed, everyone started bombarding him with questions.

"Please, settle down." Double D said. "One question at a time!"

They all hushed down and allowed Eddy, unarguably the loudest out of them at that, or any, moment, to ask his question first. "What the heck did that guy mean by further business?"

"And why did you kick us out of the room?" Lee demanded.

"Well…" Double D thought a bit, trying to find a way to leave Dr. Metchel out of any conversation. "He was actually just scouting us for the job that he actually wanted done." Double D walked to the kitchen, each person interested in the next job practically mimicking his every moment. After gulping down another cup of milk and pills, he walked back to the café's main area.

"In three days exactly, there will be a dark brown crate marked as being fragile behind the back of Lemon Brook Mall. We are not to open it. We are going to deliver it to a man named Van at the local pawn shop named 'Doodads & Watcha-ma-call-its.'" Double D said. "Everyone keeping up?"

All the kids nodded, except for Ed. He was flipping through the channels on the television.

"A week later, Van will call us on this phone at exactly ten o'clock AM." Double D said, pointing to the phone in the kitchen. "I and another person will go assist Van in infiltrating a military base and getting some important files that Van will specify at that time."

"Sounds like it's a bit farther down our alley." Eddy said, twirling his unloaded gun carelessly. "How much are we getting paid?"

"I don't know." Double D said. He was about to speak again when Ed outright hugged him.

"Make me the other person on the mission! Please?!" Ed said.

Double shook his head. "I'm sorry Ed, but I need a hacker for this. The only rational choice would be May." He mentally slapped himself, forgetting the all important rule with the Kanker sisters. "With Lee's permission of course."

"Go right ahead." Lee said.

"Thanks Lee!" May said, giving her sister a quick hug before running to the backroom. "I have to prepare my stuff!"

"Now then, if we're all finished, we need to get some sleep and there's plenty of work to do here at the café tomorrow." Double D said.

* * *

Only a few hours after sunrise was the café filled with its usual buzz of activity. A bit more than usual actually. Ever since Jimmy changed the television to the local news, people had been coming in with increasing speed.

"Why are so many people coming in today?" Lee asked herself, but still hoping for some answer from anyone listening. Another man came up to the counter, wearing a slightly tattered trench coat.

"Got any beer?" He asked.

"No, sir. This is a non-alcoholic establishment." Lee answered. The man shrugged and ordered a large latte, heading to a solitary table near the back. "Where are these people coming from?"

"They're all here to listen to the news mainly. The government just announced the Senator's plane exploding." Jimmy answered, handing a tray of cups to Nazz. "Every news organization has been talking about it all day!"

"Whatever." Eddy said. He nearly dropped his tray of assorted caffeine when a voice called from across the room.

"Hey, shorty!" A man in a high styled business suit yelled. "I been waiting for half an hour, where my crapping cappuccino?!"

"Here's your crapping cappuccino!" Eddy said mindlessly throwing it toward the man.

"You really shouldn't throw food at the customers Eddy." Double D scolded. "It makes people look down on our café. And less people will come if the service is bad."

"Whatever." Eddy repeated.

Double D walked over to the glassless window that allowed Jimmy, Sarah and Marie to hand the waiters and waitresses food and drinks. "I need two lattes, one of any of our cheapest soft drinks, and shortcake deluxe! It doesn't look as if the customers at that table will wait long!"

"Coming right up!" Marie answered, quickly grabbing his tray and placing chocolate shortcake on it. Double D quickly moved over to the table nearest the door. Each of the three people at the table looked extremely annoyed.

"Here's your shortcake." Double D said, quickly placing the cake on table. "Your drinks will be ready shortly."

"'K." One of them answered.

"This supposed to R & R?" Jonny asked as Double D passed by him. "This is more like a working vacation!"

"Well, at least the café is earning money." He answered.

After all of the customers had left, everyone laid their heads down. Everyone but Lee and Eddy, who were counting up all of today's profits.

"Never have Rolf's arms been burden so." Rolf said, taking a quick glass of water from a sink. "And Rolf's legs feel like Nana's oxen lard."

"Ew." Eddy said. "I never want to hear that word ever since ya stuck me in a barrel full of it."

Double D paid no mind to any of the conversations going on. He kept his head securely in between his arms on the table. His head hurt, as if someone had pounded on it with a mallet. A nice, cold sensation filled his hand when someone slipped a glass in between his fingers.

"Thank you, Marie." Double D said, not even lifting his head.

"How did you know it was me?" She asked.

"Your left sandal squeaks and you barely lift your right one off the ground." He answered, lifting his head so that his eyes were just in view.

"Is it that obvious?" Marie chuckled, taking a sip of her soda.

Double D sighed, tiredly. "No, I just pay that much attention to little details."

"I guess that's what makes you a good leader." Marie said, taking the seat across from him. "You never slip up when it comes down to it." She looked out the window, watching as people walked by, though limp would be a better term. "Why can't we help them? I mean we started this little company to help us, but some of them have it worse off. Shouldn't we start helping them?"

"I wish we could." Double D sighed. "But we just can't. All of our funds go to keeping food on our table and keeping the café running. The only way to help them would be to raise some kind of rebellion against the government." He took a gulp from the glass. "We don't have and probably never will have the funds or charisma to do that."

Marie sighed, taking a look at the television. The news was running a recap on the assassination of Senator Warren.

_"Investigators are still looking at the remains of the guards, the senator, and the plane to determine the possible assassins."_ The newscaster said. _"But authorities say that there may be no way to determine who the culprit is. Also, the lead guard, Derrick Jones, has been declared missing and is not among the dead. Police and government officials are looking for them."_

_"No!"_ Double D thought. _"If he manages to get to the government, then everything we've worked for will have gone up in smoke!"_ He quickly grabbed his cloak and guns. "Rolf, Jonny, Eddy, and Ed suit up and get to your vehicles! If Jones gets to the military or police, then our only work will be writing our wills!"

* * *

Double D had been circling the city for at least 2 hours. None of them had found Jones, and thankfully the various government agents in the city hadn't either. At the feel of his phone's vibrations, he quickly pulled it out.

"Hello?" Double D said, allowing a tailgating SUV to pass him.

"It's Eddy." Eddy said in a relaxed tone. "Start heading back."

"Why?"

"Turn to the News Channel on your phone." Double D did so, bringing up live feed of a news cast.

_"We interrupt our previous newscast to bring this piece of news to attention. Senator Warren's guard, Derrick Jones, has been found dead at a cul-de-sac in the Peach Creak-Lemon Brook area."_ The newscaster only paused long enough for the graphics crew to bring up an image of Jones' dead mutilated body. _"Authorities say that they are at a loss here. He was found with several slash wounds that, like the other guards, could only have been done if the person was moving with sci-fi like speed. His gun was sliced clean in two, and pockets raided. Police have moved the body and everything they say is needed to continue the investigation. We take you back to-"_

Double D closed the phone and did a U-turn, jumped the bridge's railing, and landed on a lower bridge. He headed down an exit and toward the café. He saw Jonny's jeep and the SUV, being driven by Ed, pull behind him. After parking in the garage, they headed into the café.

"What happened?" Marie asked.

"Jones has been found dead in the cul-de-sac." Double D sighed.

"You mean our cul-de-sac?" May asked receiving a nod from Double D.

"The odd thing is that Jones-guard-person has wounds that only sock-for-a-head-Ed-boy could have dealt." Rolf said.

_"Metchel is expanding his project."_ Double D thought bitterly._ "I never thought that the government would allow him to go this far, and kill just to hide it all."_ He jumped at the sound of his cell phone ringing. He opened it and quickly read the message:

_"Change in plans. Pick up the crate tomorrow._

_-Metchel"_

Double D lifted his head, looking at each of his friends. Though he hated to ruin their conversations, he spoke anyway. "Change in plans people. We go to pick up the crate tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" They all gasped.

"Tomorrow."

* * *

_Author's notes: Yeah kinda short. Added a few more mysteries, but I will reveal a lot of answers to several questions next chapter._


	5. Chapter 5: Project Zeus

_Author's Notes: This will be a weird chapter, as it's mostly just flashbacks, so I didn't bother putting them in italics. But it reveals the origins of Double D's powers._

* * *

Chapter 5: Project Zeus

Double D sat in the living area that they had built above the café. Everyone else had gone to bed, leaving him the only one up.

_"Metchel is probably speeding up his experiments."_ Double D mentally sighed, remembering the newscast he saw earlier. _"That can be the only explanation for what happen. I still remember when I first saw his brand of horror…"_

* * *

Flashback:

A slightly younger Dr. Metchel sat at his desk, typing reports and scientific findings on his computer. He was only interrupted when four people, a guard, a man and a woman of obvious wealth, and a child Double D, missing his trademark sock hat, walked in.

"They wished to see you now sir." The guard said. A nod from Metchel ordered him out of the room.

"You must excuse my bodyguard, Patrick Jones. He can be quite rude sometimes." Metchel chuckled, getting up from his seat. He shook hands with the man, who resembled Double D, but his eyes were stone cold. "I welcome you to the HQ for Project Zeus, Mr. Irwin. Though, being a high ranking politician, you probably know what it is anyway."

"I do." Irwin said coldly. "It's why I'm here. The government wants a progress report, and I want something a little more…" He looked down at Double D. "You see, I want our boy, Eddward, to have the best future possible. But to do that he'll have to excel past everyone's academic expectations."

"So you want me to use the research we've done to help him along?" Metchel chuckled, eager to use his talents. "He'd be the first human test subject, y'know? Might be a bit dangerous."

"Do whatever you can." Irwin sighed.

Metchel took Double D as his parents left the room. He led Double D into another room and laid him down on a medical bed. Metchel pulled up a tray with an assortment of sharp and dangerous-looking tools.

"What happening?" Double D asked, looking around the dark room, the only light shining down on him. "Where are Mother and Father?" He struggled against the restraints as Metchel pulled a gas task and mask out of a closet.

"They are waiting for the new you." Metchel said. He pulled the gas mask over Double D's mouth. The sleeping gas entered his lungs, slowly lulling him to sleep. Metchel stroked the boy's black hair while taking out a razor and proceeded to cut it off. "Do not worry little one, there shall be many like you. But for now, I give you a new perspective on the world!" After shaving his head bald, he took out a scalpel and began an incision.

End flashback:

* * *

_"It was only later when I saw the rest of what happened…"_

Flashback:

* * *

"Now that's a boy…" He mused as his assistants entered the room. Behind them was a giant container, being hauled in by two large men. Inside was a black orb.

"Good, good." Metchel chuckled. He took several plugs from the machine surrounding the container and began to plug them into a helmet that was placed on Double D's head. With the press of a button, a surge of electricity ran trough the container, then the helmet, and finally into Double D.

End flashback:

* * *

_"That's how I gained my insurmountable intellect and calculation abilities. I continued my life normally, somewhat, due to my young age and the large unfocused electric shock."_ Double D sighed. _"The only vague, abnormal parts were my friends and my scars from the treatment, which thankfully only Eddy and Ed have seen."_ He strolled outside onto the balcony, watching as cars passed by every so often.

_"It's ironic that just before The Year of Death, my parents told me about Project Zeus, and I only learned of its purpose on my next visit to Metchel's lab."_

Flashback:

* * *

Double D, now much older, walked into Metchel's office, armed with two pistols holstered to his sides.

"Metchel!" Double D called. "I require your services!"

Metchel turned his chair, getting a clear look at Double D. "Ah, Eddward, or is it Double D now? What do you want?"

"I believe you know." Double D stated. "I know about Project Zeus, that you experimented on me, and that you're keeping tabs on me. I lead a ragtag mercenary company, but I myself am incapable physically as a leader…"

"So you want me to enhance you further?" Metchel smirked. "Sure. We've refined our technology so much that you can even stay awake during the procedure."

"You come with heavy price. What will it be?"

"One free job." Metchel chuckled. "With no questions asked and to the letter."

"Done."

Metchel led him through a series of rooms until they came to a large room with what seemed to be a futuristic ray pointed down toward a medical bed. Double D laid down on the bed while Metchel and his assistants powered up the ray.

"Eddward, being a man of science yourself, I believe you can appreciate the workings of our project and the reasons behind it." Metchel said with his signature chuckle. "Over 20 years ago, the U.S. and Mexican governments found an alien object inside a burning meteorite."

"Interesting." Double D said, flinching as the ray was being pointed at his skull.

"So, with some government coercing I managed to start Project Zeus." Metchel chuckled. "However, the government saw my idea as the next generation of soldiers. But I have envisioned much more than that!" After that came a deep, heavy sigh. "I guess it could be considered ironic that the promise of super soldiers was the only reason they listened."

"Do tell." Double D sighed, not very eager to here the man's ranting.

"I believe that we have reached our limits, and that this object will allow us to go pass them." He said. "This ray will gift you with unheard of speed and invulnerability. You will move great distances in a flash and take minor bullet fire."

"A process this advance has drawbacks though." One assistant said. He came over and shook Double D's hand. "My name Johnson and I'm in charge of seeing what you'd call 'Power Backlash.'"

"Backlash?" Double questioned.

"Some of the test subjects that came after you had their physical abilities enhanced. This gave them what you'd call super speed. However this caused too much stress on their bones and they suffered from broken bones." Johnson said. "I'm going to observe how you take the stress and see if I can co-"

"I'll find a way." Double D said. "But I would like to test my abilities."

"Good." Johnson smiled. "I don't really understand what Dr. Metchel is trying to do with this project, but I think it's a good idea to push your limits." He took Double D's pistols off a tray.

"What are you doing?" Double D asked.

"We'll be refitting your guns to fit your new abilities. Or more specifically, Amy will be." Johnson said. A girl, only about Double D's age and wearing a uniform similar to Johnson, came and examined the firearms.

"They'll need to be able to stand up to extreme friction, and I believe adding blades will help. All in all, they'll need a complete overhaul." She said, brushing her short brown hair aside.

"A person of your age is working on a project as vast and complex as this?" Double D asked.

"She may not seem to be all that scientific, but she's a pure genius." Johnson comment. "But she's only here to help her uncle."

"Where's he?"

"He's the one who brought you in." Johnson laughed.

"Metchel is her uncle?" Double D gasped, looking from Metchel to Amy.

"Her parents died in the Year of Death." Johnson said. "Metchel is her only relative."

Johnson headed back to his control console at Metchel's command, ready to begin the procedure. The other scientists manned their consoles as well. Pressing a variety of buttons and flipping switches in a specific order. As they did this, the ray made a sci-fi like charging noise. Electricity flowed from a large generator and into the near monstrous contraption.

"Ah!" Double D screamed as the ray fired at him.

End flashback:

* * *

_"Sometimes I wonder if I should have stayed awhile longer."_ Double D sighed, pondering the possible outcomes. _"If I had stayed, I could have unlocked that unique ability. And, while I loathe the project, and the man behind it, the other people there were nice but, not all of them were lovable."_

Flashback:

* * *

Double D sat up on the bed in a small, plain room. The last thing he remembered was being strapped down to a medical bed, about to get shot at by a massive ray. As he stood up he stumbled. His legs, and for that matter, his whole being felt different, as if he wasn't in his own body.

"Ah, you're up." A voice said. Amy got up from her seat and him up until he regained his balance. "My uncle asked me to watch you until you woke."

"What happened?" He asked. "Where am I?"

"You fainted when the ray fired, so we dragged you to a spare room." She answered. "Your new weapons are in the dresser, and Johnson wants to run some tests soon, so you'd better hurry." She left the room, taking a bag with her. Double D walked over to the far end of the room, where the dresser rested. Inside were two handguns, completely unlike the two he had previously. They had blades attached to them, similar to combat knifes, and the blades seemed to be interchangeable with other blades.

"Magnificent." Double D said, checking the gun from every angle.

After going through the maze of hallways, asking directions from at least five people who probably were lost themselves, he found his way to a lab of some extensive sort. The far end wall had a monitor showing video feed from a larger, arena like room. Around various consoles were scientists, who looked very anxious.

"Ah, Double D, so good to see you!" A scientist said. He was dressed differently than the other scientists. His lab coat was unzipped, showing a pink shirt with a white rabbit stitch and pink highlights in his dark hair. Overall, he seemed very flamboyant. "Oh, you may not know me. My name is Jackson. I helped make you an intellectual prodigy."

"Uh, hello." Double D said, slightly surprised.

"I'm Johnson's associate." Jackson said. "We both head up the Power Backlash department. Johnson will be here momentarily. Until then, I suggest that you enter the test chamber." He bowed and pointed at a door that slide open automatically as Double D neared it.

"Um, sure." Double D said. "Wish me luck!"

"Good luck. Try not to get killed!" He said.

"KILLED?!"

End Flashback:

* * *

_"Then there were those who were quite mysterious."_

* * *

Flashback:

Double D sat in a cafeteria, surrounded by people of all ages, sizes, and styles. Before him were his guns, blades smelted and magazines emptied, and a tray of food. Before long, a voice perked him up from his trails of thought.

"So, how'd it go?" Amy asked, taking a seat.

"Jackson is mentally unstable!" He shouted. "In the one week I've been here, he's used flesh cutting lasers, and killer robots, and-"

"And he's done to you what he does to everyone." Amy sighed. "He pushes everyone to their limit, pressures them to get better."

"Why are you helping me?" Double D asked. If the Year of Death taught him one thing, it's that everyone in most requests, favors, or assistance has an angle. "What's your motive?"

"My uncle told me." She answered. "He felt that you'd be more comfortable if someone in you age group was helping you, giving a few pointers."

"Especially if the person in question was a girl?"

"Pretty much."

Double D looked around the room. Around him were guys trying to see who was stronger, girls gossiping about the latest news, people acting like people. No one who knew what happened to them would have thought this to be, at least the traditional sense, a school.

"It's him again." Amy said. She pointed to a person surrounded by a group of people yelling various adoring comments, though Double D's view was obscured by the group of apparent fans.

"Who is he?" Double D asked.

"He's the best that Project Zeus put out." Amy said. "He was the second test subject, after yourself, and the only one to activate his third ability."

Double D watched as the crowd moved away. Now that the teens weren't in between them, he got a good look at the best of what Zeus had to offer. The person was a teen not much older than he was, only older by a year or two. Unkempt, slightly long brown hair came down about jaw length. He wore a white uniform with black boots and on his belt was a holstered gun and a capsule filled with purple pills.

"I am Wes." He said. "And you are Double D, the first."

"First?" Double D asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"You were the first of us, of the test subjects of Zeus." Wes said. "We we're all told to emulate your goal to excel. Now that you've received the full overall, you may just be superior."

"What are you getting at?"

"I may have been the second, but I shall be superior." Wes took the capsule off his belt and threw it Double D. "That is my secret. They are pills that'll take the calcium in milk and other foods and increase and multiply the intake, thus negating the bone breaking problem with super speed." Wes turned and walked away. "I want you to be at your best when I kill and prove my superiority. When you leave tonight, remember that."

"What is up with him?" Double D asked. "Did I do something?"

Amy sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Among us, you're a kind of standard when it comes to excellence. It's hard to explain. So, you're leaving tonight?"

"Yes, but how did he know that?" Double D wondered. He watched as Amy wrote on a lip of paper and handed it to him. "What is this?"

"It's my cell phone number." She answered. "If you need a favor or some help, just call me."

"Thank you." Double D said. "I'll be sure to use it when I have need of it."

* * *

End Flashback:

"Perhaps it's time to call her." Double D said, pulling out his cell phone and calling her. But he got her answering machine instead. "Hello, Amy? I was wondering if you could visit my mercenary group. It's a small building in Lemon Brook City called Café K…"

* * *

_Author's notes: So now you've met Metchel motley crew of assistants, aids, and creations, had some questions answered, and a nice trip down Double D's memory lane! Summer's ending, so updates to all my stories will slow up, but I hope you stay tuned._


	6. Chapter 6: New Dawn Delivery

_Author's Notes: The long awaited update! I will try to make the next one sooner. Also, the Van from this story can be the same one from my Death NotED (which is in the bin (where I put projects that are on hold)) depending how you want to look at it. I'm not going to thread the topic of reusing OCs for other stories. But I'll be a good author and add a few Death Note references (and a Final Fantasy reference or two)._

* * *

Chapter 6: New Dawn Delivery

Eddy awoke with a yawn before dawn had even come. After doing his usual 'preparation for the day' routine, he proceeded down the stairs leading to the café's housing and down into the main area of the Café. However, when he got about halfway down, he saw a small group of four people, three guys and one girl. This was odd since opening wasn't for another three hours.

"Who the hell are you?! Tell me!" Eddy demanded, pulling out his twelve shooter.

"Simmer down." One of the men, wearing a purple shirt with a bat stitch on it, said. With a bored sighed he lifted a large glass of soda to his lips and took a large gulp. "Soda here stinks."

"We're friends of Double D." The girl said. "I'm Amy, the guy who just spoke is Jackson, and Johnson's next to him and the guy in the far corner is Wes." She pointed to each of them, but Eddy stared at Wes hard. Despite the fact that he didn't seem threatening at first, his hands were reaching for a katana and a pistol.

"Don't even think about it, tough guy." Eddy pointing his pistol at Wes, who didn't seem too threatened. "Now why are you here?"

"Like we said: 'We're friends of Double D.'" Jackson said. "Now will you put the damn gun, ya midget?!"

"I don't buy it, but Okay, if you say so." Eddy sighed, lowering his gun. He raised it again though when Wes disappeared into thin air. His grip seriously loosened when Wes reappeared in front of him, using Double D's infamous (and famous) super speed warp.

"Where's Eddward?" Wes said. "I'd like to see his progress before leaving." Eddy dropped the gun and slowly pointed to the staircase leading to the housing area. Double D poked his head down the stairs as Wes approached them.

"Eddy, is everything al-" He stopped mid-sentence when he spotted Amy, Johnson, Jackson and Wes. "Amy, you made it!" He looked at Wes, whose face was just about a foot away from his own. His face looked quite different from the last time he'd saw him his hair had grown much longer in a short amount of time and parts of it seemed slightly brighter. "I don't remember inviting you three." He grasped a handful of Wes' hair. "And what is with the long hair!"

"I deemed it fit to ignore personal hygiene and appearance earlier." He answered.

"We saw Amy leaving." Johnson said, taking a sip of coffee. "We had thought about telling-"

Just as Double D thought it, Wes had spoken. "Don't say anything about _it_ while we're here."

"Uh…" A nod and hushing motion from Double D told him everything. "Sure."

Double D and Wes came down the stairs, joining the other four at the table. Jackson seemed comfortable in the bright surroundings of Café K. Johnson, as Double D knew him, was pretty mellow about everything. Amy merely sat at her seat and Eddy was shooting Double D an inquisitive glare.

"Double D, who are these people?" Eddy asked.

"They're… friends." Double D said. "Amy's here to help. She, Jackson and Johnson trained me. And Wes… Uh, well, Wes is-"

"Leaving. I have to go." Wes said, passing by Double D and whispering in his ear. "Do not worry. Project Zeus will not come to the knowledge of your friends until such a time you see fit." And with that he flashed away.

"So what do need us for?" Amy asked.

"Eddy, could you please wake up the others? We do have a job to do today." Double D suggested. He watched as Eddy walked up the stairs and into the upper rooms. He made completely sure that Eddy, or anyone else for that matter, was listening in. Eddy would always do that when others didn't want him too. He wanted to keep his powers and his friends as far away from each other as possible. "You mentioned before that there was a third ability. I fear that I will need that ability soon."

"Why?" Johnson said.

"I fear that Metchel's up to something. A man named Derrick Jones was found dead by wounds that could have only been given by someone like us and he knew of my powers, my identity!" Double D sighed, running through all the possibilities he could think of. "He's expanding Zeus or something. I fear that he and the government will go to great lengths to cover it up."

Jackson started laughing his head off. His laughter, quite high pitched, ranged off the walls of the café. "T-t-t-that might be quite har-har-ha-hard, considering he lost all government funding two months ago. We're self funded now."

"Why?"

"Slow progress and the broken bones didn't help." Amy said, smiling slightly. "Actually, they didn't like my uncle. Something about him scares them. Scaring us too. He's a wanted man also. Everyone who had anything to do with the project are getting arrested." She took a heavy sigh before continuing in a more cheerful tone. "So you want us to help you unlock your third ability?"

"Canny too, since Amy just got hers." Jackson added in.

"Yes." Double D nodded. "But we mustn't take long. We have a job to do today."

"Ah, yes. First rule of being a mercenary: Uphold all contracts." Jackson chuckled. Jackson pulled out a vial with a gold liquid and loaded it into a high-tech syringe. "This may sting a bit." He said deadpan. With sudden twist of his heel and inject Double D with the serum. "Stand back." He said to Johnson, who tried to run to Double D when he doubled over in pain. "We don't know what may happen."

"But he's in pain!" Johnson argued, watching as Double D tried to stand, howling in pain with each move.

With the pain in his body dissipating, Double D opened his eyes but his sight was horribly blurred. Colors mixed and flowed. Object were too fuzzy to make out and some which could identify were a dark blue instead of their regular colors. It basically looked as if someone had taken different types of visions and pasted them in his.

"Are you okay Double D?" Amy asked, waving her hand in front of his face, which to him looked like a pale swipe on a canvas.

"I'll let you know in a minute." Double D said, glad that his vision was clearing up. He blinked a few times to get it clearer. After the final blink, he kept his eyes closed to block out the light from a flashlight Johnson had. "My vision was bl-AH!" When he opened his eyes he could see three skeletons in front of him, one of which was holding a transparent flashlight. _"Do I have the ability to see through objects?"_ Hoping that the serum hadn't made him lose his sanity, he asked what he needed to test his theory. "Johnson, is that you? Because all I see is a skeleton holding a transparent flashlight."

"He seems to have been given vision powers." Jackson said, taking his on flashlight to Double D's eyes. "Yes, there seems to be a slightly greener tint to you eyes." Double D blinked again causing his vision to go back to normal.

"That was weird." Double D said. "But I can think of many uses for x-ray vision."

Johnson sighed and headed for the door. "Well, I've got to go back to the lab. Don't worry Double D, you're secret's safe with me."

Jackson brushed his hair out of the way. "Yes, and I've got to go prepare for a date with a very pretty girl. Ta-ta for now!" He too left the café.

"Who's the chick Double D?" Jonny asked, coming down the stairs with Rolf, Jimmy, Eddy, Lee, Nazz, May and Marie. Notably Ed and Sarah were absent.

"Where are Ed and Sarah?" Double D asked.

"Ed needed to go to the bathroom and Sarah said she needed her beauty sleep." Jimmy answered.

"She's got that right." He chuckled, earning a dirty look from Jimmy and Nazz. The look from Nazz shut him up immediately. While Jimmy wasn't much to be intimidated by, she had plenty of muscle and karate to back her up.

"Alright, who is the girl?" Lee said, not liking strangers showing up on her doorstep.

"My name is Amy." She answered. "I here to join your little group. I'm good with guns."

"How good?" Sarah asked, finally joining them. Amy looked around for a suitable target. Nothing to important or fancy. Then she noticed Ed coming down the stairs. She pulled out a pistol with a silencer attached and fired. Ed stopped dead as the bullet imbedded itself into the wall just ever so near his face.

"Good enough?" Amy asked. She chuckled when all but Double D and Ed (who collapsed onto the floor) nodded dumbfounded.

* * *

Double D's motorcycle and Jonny's SUV rounded a winding exit and into Lemon Brook's main shopping district. There were a variety of shops here, from hardware to flower shops. But Lemon Brook Mall dominated the main street. It's yellow and pearl white paint job also made it stick out from the rest of the shops. The main street was also the most populated area in the city, so traffic here was higher here.

Oddly, the parking lot was empty and a hazard signs and warnings block all the entrances but the back one. One even read "HAZMAT ONLY!" They took this one and was behind the store in no time. _"Metchel has put a lot of thought into this. But what could be this important?"_ Double D thought.

They crate laid in front of one of the loading docks. The gathered around it and looked at it from all sides, dreading to ask the question that was on their minds (They still are teens after all). "Who's going to lift it?" They all asked at the same time.

"Ed and I would be the most logical choices, since physically, we are the strongest." Double D said as he and Ed grabbed the edges of the crate.

"The Son of a Shepard cannot let the Ed-boys do this alone!" Rolf said. He and Amy also grabbed an edge.

With a unified grunted they lifted up the crate

"What the heck is in this thing?" Double D thought aloud. "It must weigh a ton!"

"My arms hurt!" Ed yelled. Those three words alone nearly made their legs give out. After a good five minutes of effort, feet nearly getting smashed and grunting, they heaved the crate into the back of the SUV. All the while Eddy and Jonny stared at them from the background.

"What?" Amy asked.

"Are me and Jonny the only ones without super strength or something?!" Eddy whined. "The new girl is stronger than us! Double D's some kinda super human! Rolf wrestles down cows and Ed is, uh, well, Ed."

After arguing with Eddy about the importance of how their lives weren't like video game mechanics, they were back on the highway heading for downtown Lemon Brook. They left the highway, and after traversing a few streets and asking directions more than once, they arrived at Doodads & Whatcha-Ma-Call-Its. A brown haired man in a casual black shirt and beanie was in front of the store. He propped himself against the wall in a cool, fluent motion, watching the cycle and SUV pull up.

"Are you Van?" Double D asked.

"What's the project?" He man asked seriously

"Zeus." Double D answered.

Van smiled in a mischievous way. "He said that the person who would answer that would be you. I'm Van, the owner of his establishment." He moved around to the back of the SUV with four musclemen trotting behind him. "Unload it." Van ordered. The men grabbed the crate and hauled it into the shop.

"Hey! What about our pay?!" Eddy asked as Van was about to enter the shop.

"You'll get your pay after we hack the database a week from now." Van said. Van then rubbed and scratched his head, appearing to be thinking heavily and mumbling to himself. "But if you want, though I may get in trouble for it later, I'll show you what you just delivered." Van led them all into the shop, which was quiet small for its perceived size, or it could have just been the numerous shelves making the room feel very cramped. Several posters of heavy metal rock bands were hung on the walls and some of the floor tiles had skulls imprinted in them every now and again. Particularly drawing was a huge poster with an L in wedding font behind the counter of the shop and a black electric guitar, also adorned in skulls, beneath it. The crate they had delivered to him also sat behind the counter of the shop, looking completely unsuspicious despite the atmosphere of the place.

"Let's pop this baby open." Van and Eddy said, approaching the crate ominously and rubbing their hand greedily.

Van pulled a crow bar off one of the shelves, slapping a 'slightly used' tag underneath its moderately cheap price tag. He propped it under the lid and pulled. A loud splintering of wood accompanied the sound of the lid hitting the ground.

"Let us see!" Ed said in a childish tone, pushing Van aside and peering into the depths of the crate. All the others joined him, equally intrigued, though not to the point where they'd have a childish outburst.

Inside the crate, somewhat submerged below the packing foam looked to be a metallic container with wires running out of it. Peering through the glass window, they could make out a dark orb-like object.

"What in the name of Kefka is that?!" Eddy groaned. "We wasted our time delivering junk! No wonder the drop off was a stupid pawn shop!"

"_Could it be?"_ Double D thought, getting closer to the glass to look at it._ "It is!"_ He nodded towards Amy, who gave him a similar nod. Double D rose from the crate and walked over to Van.

"I'm sorry Van, but may we take the crate back." He asked, trying to remain polite. It only took him a split second to come up with a make shift lie. "I believe that there may have been some error or miscommunication."

"You found it behind the mall, correct?"

"Correct."

"And it does contain what I need." Van smiled. "So, logically speaking, everything is on schedule."

"Sir, I believe that you do not know what that item is capable of." Double D said.

"Our transaction is complete." Van said. "Leave, or…" He reached for the electric guitar. Now that Double D was closer, he could see a cleverly hidden trigger and barrel built into the guitar. If Van pulled the trigger, a bullet would blast into the group of kids. Double D was fast, but there was no way he would be able to stop a bullet so close. "I'll show you that we have the right to refuse service."

"Time to go, guys." Double D said, trying to sound normal. The others walked out the door before Double D. Double D, as he walked out, gave Van a glare that seemed to again warn him of the object's danger. Van, by this point Double D could conclude was either eccentric or insane, merely shrugged it off and waved happily and mischievously.

* * *

The kids kept glancing at the backroom door every once in awhile. Ever since they had gotten back, Double D had locked himself away in there. Three, four, five hours passed by like eternities and still Double D had not left the confines of the room.

"Is he alright?" Marie asked, trying to look through the shades in vain.

"How should I know?" Eddy grunted, polishing his sniper rifle, something he only did when nervous. "He was fine at Van's shop, 'cept when he saw what was in the crate."

"Looked like he saw it before." Jonny said.

Rolf joined the conversation, once again harkening to his foreign heritage. "Sock-hat-Ed-boy has been possessed by the spirit of the hairless otter." He picked up a cheese grater and a food mallet before calling Ed. "Come, turkey eyes! We must prepare the Lard of Sanctity for the Ritual of Cleansing!" He and the jogging Ed fortified themselves in the kitchen and closed the shutters.

Two hours after that, at 7:00 PM, the door to the back room unlocked. Double D, hands and shirt all dusty, came out for only a brief moment. "Eddy, May, Amy, I want you to come with me." The three of them only shrugged and followed their tired leader into the room.

* * *

_Author's Notes: I'm sure that many of you appreciated the Final Fantasy reference. The lines have been drawn, but what will happen next? Mr. Who signing out._

_P.S. Merry Christmas!_


	7. Chapter 7: Revelations

_Author's Notes: Sorry for not updating sooner. I've been busy (not to mention playing Metroid Prime 3. A LOT. Quite a fun game. Final Boss creeped me out a bit) but now I'm back and writing again._

_P.S. If you hadn't guessed the pairing by now, you'll find out soon._

* * *

Chapter 7: Revelations

Eddy, May and Amy were bewildered by the sight of the room. Double D had unplugged all of the electrical equipment in the room and tore most of it apart. Pieces of the wall were on the floor, and the circuits and installation thoroughly searched. Their ever smart and fearless leader had either become even more paranoid than usual or had finally cracked under pressure.

"Whoa." Amy said. "And I thought you were enough of a nervous wreck when I first met you."

Eddy looked at the remains of his former personal PC, now hopelessly torn apart. "What the hell did you do?" He said, picking up the smashed motherboard. It fell into even more pieces at his slightest touch. "I had _very_ confidential files in there!"

"I'll explain later." Double D said quickly. "But for now we must speak about the hacking job we are to do. It is of the utmost importance."

Double D had them gather around a briefing desk before speaking. "As we know, in one week Van will call us to come and assist him in hacking a military base here in town. While at the base he will specify what files he needs. May, I want you to download those files and copy them onto a drive. Whatever he gets, we get. I also would like you to find files pertaining to the topics 'Zeus', 'Metchel', and anything about secret dealings with Mexico and conjoined research therein.

"Eddy, I want you to follow us to the military building. Don't let Van or the guards see you. I want you to snipe anyone attacking us from a far off locale. And if Van should turn on us, eliminate him."

He handed Amy a pen and a large stack of paper. "Amy, I want you to write down and draw everything you know. Do not let anyone see it. Give it to me when you're done."

He turned and scooted his chair towards one of the few still working and plugged in computers before speaking again. "This is a very dangerous game we are playing people. Time is of the essence."

"If it's so dangerous why don't you tell us what's going on?" A voice called. Unknown to them, Marie, Johnny and Nazz had been listening the entire time.

"I asked, 'What's going on?'" Marie repeated. "Why won't you tell us?"

Double D didn't even turn around to see who it was. His friends' voices echoed on. Despite all that that had been through, he had never let go of his inability to withhold information from them. "At first, I was ashamed of myself. I had sunk so low. I had became a freak, just to protect you all." A strong, sudden sadness welled up in him. But something else did too, something stronger. Anger, at himself. "Now I'm sinking lower to protect you more. If we're caught, we'll die. But if you don't know what's going on, you can plead ignorance. Say that you don't know who I am and you'll live."

"And who would buy that?!" Marie half shouted and half choked. "Most of us have known you since before kindergarten!"

Eddy, in a nervous fit swung Double D's chair around and delivered one hard slap. Double D fingered at the stinging red hand print across his cheek, while everyone, including Eddy himself, stared at the shortest Ed's redder hand in shock.

"Listen Double D. We've known you for like 12 years now. Ever since you moved to the cul-de-sac." Eddy said. "Have you ever not trusted us? Okay, stupid question about Ed and me. But still, we're you're friends. We stick together."

"Actually…" Marie said, pausing to try and find the right words. "I think that over the past three years, we've become more than friends. We're family." Instinctively, her hand reached out to Double D's until she was pulling him slightly towards them.

Double D stared into her eyes, and stood up nearly automatically. He felt his nervousness wash away and a warm feeling filled him. For the first time in a while, he was really, truly…

Happy.

"Well, who am I to doubt family?" He chuckled. The response never made him deaf, everyone cheered and jumped like madmen. Why? Double D didn't know and he certainly didn't care.

"Take a seat everyone." Double D said, allowing Marie to have his chair. "I believe I have some explaining to do. And we need to prepare because in 168 hours, we will be at a point of no return."

* * *

At midnight, when you would have expected someone to be asleep, no one but Jimmy and Sarah we're in bed. They had listen to Double D's tale about Metchel, Zeus, Wes, and the almost forgotten, but unknown, failsafe (Thought I'd forgotten?). The kids dare not utter a sound as Double D spoke, except when to say that they were familiar with that part of the story or to answer Double D's occasional, "Are following what I'm saying?"

"So, wait. That Wes guy is planning on killing you so that he can prove he's better?" Eddy said. "Should have shot him when I had the chance."

"And that Metchel creep is blackmailing you?" Nazz said. "Glad I'm not related to a guy like him." She caught herself and looked Amy's slightly hurt face. "Oops, sorry."

"It's no problem." Amy said. "Just consider yourself lucky."

"But the point of all this is that Metchel is up to something." Double D said. "Something that involves the alien object, Van and whatever he wants from the military network." He picked up a document he had taken out earlier labeled 'Top Secret'. "Whatever he's planning expands far beyond Project Zeus, I know that much."

"So what about this third power thing?' Jonny asked. "You talked about it before but didn't go into detail."

"Every enhanced person has a power unique to himself or herself." Double D answered. "I have X-ray and Heat-Sensor vision. I believe, but can't confirm, that Wes can read minds and Amy, well…"

"I'm an esper." Amy said. "I can sense things out of the ordinary. From emotions to thoughts."

"Prove it." Eddy said. He had seen Double D's powers in action, but even he had doubts about what he just heard.

Amy closed her eyes, focusing on the area around her. After a while, she opened the door. "Rolf is going to yell after Ed spills some lard."

Sure enough, after she said it, a loud thud came from the kitchen. After some in coherent harsh words were said, Rolf shouted. "Shacklahah!" Ed went whizzing out of the kitchen and into a table. "Never insult Rolf's Nana in such a manner Ed-boy!"

"Alright, alright!" Double D said, coming into the man café area. "I believe that's enough for tonight. Let's all try to get some sleep."

* * *

Double D sat on the slanted roof of the café, gazing up at the moon. For some reason, looking at the shining, celestial body made his problems seem much smaller.

He sighed. Usually, he just stared at the moon and forget everything. But today was different. One lone, independent, nearly overwhelming thought still lingered on in his mind.

"Hey, Double D, can I join you?!" Someone called out. Double D looked down at the window that lead to the balcony, the only way to onto the roof. Marie stood there, waving as she tried to climb up the slant.

"Are you alright? Do you need any help?" Double D asked, preparing to climb down to help.

"Nah, I'm fine." She said. After some effort, she managed to get to the top of the slant and seat herself. She gazed up at moon slowly, still not used to the elevation. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes." Slowly, considerately, longingly, he scooted closer to her and placed his hand over hers. "Very, very beautiful."

* * *

Amy stood on a roof nearby the Cake K's, but keeping out of sight. _"Why do I feel so awkward? I never felt like this before. I didn't until those two…"_

"It troubles you, doesn't it?" A voice from behind said. Amy pulled out her pistol and turned around, just to find Wes behind her.

"Oh, it's you." Amy sighed, re-strapping her gun. "Where have you been?"

"I was on a mission." Wes answered. "Metchel asked me to take care of a security breach. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you more than that."

"Whatever." Amy said. She turned to look back at Double D and Marie moon gazing together.

"Is it really troubling you that much? That he found someone other than you?" He asked. "Or is it that you know that Double D may have never liked you like that in the first place?"

Amy growled a bit, but only because he was right. "Would you quit mind reading for once or do you do it to everybody?"

"I refrain from looking into Dr. Metchel"s thoughts." Wes answered. "I find no reason to not do it for everyone else, lest their thoughts annoy me." He sat down so uniformly and machine-like it was unnatural.

"Oh, am I to be graced by the fact that the great Wes was to sit next to me?" Amy said, trying to cheer herself up and maybe to get Wes to at least chuckle too.

"Hardly." Wes answered as stone cold as ever. "I find sitting down something quite uneasy to do." Wes looked at Double D and Marie too. He found the sight very discouraging. "He shouldn't get emotionally attached to her, or anyone else, for that matter."

"Just because you're anti-social doesn't mean we all have to be."

"We have to be the perfect soldiers. Getting emotionally attached causes risk of dulling combats skills and letting feeling get in the way of the mission." Wes said, suddenly sounding agitated. "And nothing must get in the way of the mission."

"Wes…"

"What is it?" Wes asked. He knew that tone of Amy's. Something was wrong. Amy pulled out her a handheld mirror from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Your hair is glowing."

Indeed his hair, even his eyes, were glowing brightly enough to illuminate the immediate area around him. His hair glowed so bright it seemed translucent. In fact it was becoming translucent. His glowing eyes seem a purplish white in color.

Quickly he threw the mirror back to her. "I need to go." He disappeared down onto the street and then into the darkness of night.

"What's up with him?" Amy said. _"I'll ask Double D to add his name to the list of those file in that hacking job he's got coming."_ She look back to Café K's roof, and saw that Marie had fallen asleep and Double D was carrying her back inside. _"Um... But I guess that can wait until later."_

* * *

In downtown Lemon Brook a crowd gathered around the front of a dead-end alleyway. The only things that stopped them from going in were the police, who had form a line around it and the fact that someone took the meaning dead-end literally.

One officer walked around the area. The scene was a gory mess. Blood stained the walls of the alley and bits of a person's body were scattered every. The largest piece intact, the person's torso, rested against the back wall.

"Who the hell could have caused this?" He wondered.

"Guess we can rule out suicide." Another officer said, jotting everything he saw on his pad.

"It looks like we have no way to identify him." The police chief said. "His head, toes, and fingers are all missing or to damaged to be of use." The chief surveyed the scene closely. "This was no mugging; whoever killed him knew who he was and what he wanted from him." Thinking quickly, he issued his orders. "Search the entire alleyway! Hell, search the entire block if you have to! Find anything that'll identify this guy!"

"Sir!" An officer called, holding up a leather object. "This wallet was placed under the dumpster!"

"Could have slid under there during the struggle."

"Not in the way it was positioned sir." The officer handed the wallet over to the chief and he looked through its contents. Some spare change was in the flap and it was lacking the victim's social security card and driver's license or learner's permit, assuming he had them. However, they ID was intact.

The ID showed a man with dark hair and pink highlight who looked somewhat flamboyant. He also wore a purple shirt with a bat stitch sewed on (IDs here show the person from waist to head top).

"Sir, it's the same shirt." One officer said. "And there are locks of black and pink hair."

"It says here that this man's name is 'Jackson E. Taylor.'" The chief said. "Age: 23, Eyes: Brown, Hair: Black. The residence and phone numbers have been scratched out." The chief lifted his head and looked at the body. "That poor soul. He must have went through hell before dying."

The chief handed the ID to an aide. "Put this through the system and see what you get." He then turned to his men. "Search the street and inquiry the shop owners. I want to know what happened here!"

"Yes sir!" His men said in unison before dispersing into the crowd.

"_Something fishy is going on here."_ The chief thought, strumming his beard. _"And I'm going to find out what."_

* * *

_Author's notes: So there it is. I hope I didn't upset anyone by killing off Jackson, but it isn't what it looks like, I swear! But I won't tell you all, it's a surprise._

_P.S. The Chief and his police crew will be appearing in later chapter, but I'm just to lazy to come up with names for them right now, so I'll take suggests or comments on what their names should be. There are six officers, including the chief and his aide._

_And now, in memoriam to Jackson, ta-ta for now!_


	8. Chapter 8: In the Dark of the Night

Author's Notes: Well here is the 8th chapter to the New World fic. Truthfully, the fic wasn't supposed to last this long. But this small idea grew and just continued growing and now it's at a good length. More twist and turns ahead!

* * *

Chapter 8: In the Dark of the Night

"What the hell do you mean you haven't kissed yet?!"

Eddy sat at one end of a table in Café K, fuming in combination of frustration, irritation and dissatisfaction. At the other sides of this table were Ed and Double D, who were rechecking that their ears still worked after Eddy's outburst.

"Please Eddy, not so loud." Double D whispered along with a few shushes. "I don't see the problem. We're technically not even dating. I haven't even told Marie that I liked her yet!"

It had been five days since Double D told the two that he may have feelings for Marie. Even though he swore them to secrecy on this issue, he expected them to blab it to everyone. Thankfully, it seemed that they hadn't.

"So tell her!" Eddy groaned, slapping his hand across his forehead. "It's simple! You go up to her and ask her on a date. Trust me, with your looks, she won't say no." Eddy folded his arms and kicked back on his chair, smiling arrogantly with his solution.

"Yeah but Lee is her sister." Ed said. That made both Double D and Eddy freeze. There came the next problem. Before the Year of Death, Lee was protective of her sisters, but never showed or acted like it, except only on occasion. But now, afterward, she had toughened up considerably. She had thrown, literally, more than one guy out of the café for trying to 'chat up' Marie or May into a date.

"Oh my. If I tried to ask her out in Lee's presence, I fear that, superpowers or not, I would be a dead man!" The three of them rubbed their heads, concentrating hard on some kind of solution.

"Love is a cruel mistress." Double D sighed, laying his head down, giving up any hope of a solution that could ever get around Lee Kanker. He glanced at the clock. It read 10:13 AM. They had been talking about this specific topic for over three hours now. "Well, I'm going to be going now. I want to pick up a few things at 'The Niche'." The Niche was a section of warehouses in Downtown Lemon Brook. It was a truly dangerous area populated by gangs and cut-throat criminals. Any crime you can think of happened there on a nearly daily basis. But that also meant that you could find almost anything there.

"Be careful man." Eddy said. "That place ain't for normal people, and dangerous even for you."

"I know." Double D said.

"Why would you go anyway?" Ed asked. "What would we need there?"

Double D smiled reassuringly. He knew that his friends were concerned for him, but he had, unbeknownst to them, gone to The Niche several times before. "I'm just going to get some guns and information on Van and what he might be doing. Also a contact I have is meeting me there." Double D turned and headed for the café's garage.

* * *

He quickly mounted the _Gear I_ and kicked up its stand. Double D held his feet down however, and checked the supplies within the motorcycle's compartments. He found thirty studded spikes, spare ammunition, an improvised explosive and a deck box filled with cards that he had forgotten to give back to Ed. "I'll give this back later." He reminded himself as he pushed it back into the compartment.

He revved up the motorcycle's engines immediately. A bio-scan system he thought up eliminated the use of a key long ago, so he had no trouble with starting the vehicle and theft.

Double D casually drove the motorcycle in the street. Many didn't question why he was driving around simply because they didn't care. The others were ones that ask why he had simply told them that he was Café K's errand boy and they never ponder further of it. There was nothing unusual about a simple errand boy going around town doing things for a casual café.

"Hey there, Double D!" Someone called. Double D glanced right and saw Frank, a regular at the café, riding up next to him in his slightly rusted truck. The truck hung low to the ground, like a compact car, so he and Double D were staring at each other on an equal plane. "That taskmaster Lee whipping you again? Dude, just tell her to kiss off! She's telling you to head to The Niche again, ain't she?"

"Yes, she told me to pick up a cooling unit there." Double D answered, hoping that it would detract Frank off the real reasons he was heading there. "It is the best deal in town."

"You'd think that seventy-five percent of planet kicking the can would lower prices. That's rich." Frank said, tilting his head if only to symbolize how frustrated he was. "Say, why don't I go with you? I was heading there myself. That bike there's no good for hauling something that big."

"Maybe I could find a hitch and trailer there too!" Double D joked. "So, why are _you_ going to The Niche? I doubt you're picking up something as benign as a cooling unit." The joke really wasn't aimed at Frank. It was aimed at them both equally. Double D's own reasons for going certainly weren't all that benign.

"I'm going to buy several wine bottles to add to my collection." Frank said, mumbling the next part. "Can't find them anywhere else in the state."

"You're still collecting empty bottles?" Double D sighed. "I thought you stopped after your ex-wife told you to-"

"Yes, my _ex_-wife told me to stop." Frank smiled. "Turn here." Frank sped up as Double D pulled over into his lane, turned right and entered what many know as 'Infierno Entrada', Spanish for 'Hell Entry' or the entrance to The Niche. This was probably the most dangerous place in all The Niche. The various gangs and mobs that made up the majority of its population were always around this street from midnight to midnight. Worse yet, they let only three kinds of people in: members of the gangs or mobs, people who were obviously wealthy or well connected or, and the most dangerous method of entry, people would they had unanimously decided were too tough for them to turn away. Everyone else was told to leave, and if you didn't leave… They had ways.

Double D had earned entry through the last method. Some of the people he had fought still had scars from the conflict, but, as he had earned enough respect from them, proudly displayed as many as possible at one time. He never figured out how Frank got in, but he assumed that he personally knew some of the guards.

"Yo, it's DD and Frankie!" One of the many mobsters yelled to a few men behind the fencing. "Open the gate!"

"Thanks Harriet!" Frank said, driving his truck on through. Double D drifted out from behind him, parked near the gate and handed Harriet a ten dollar bill. Before he left, loaded himself with the spare ammunition and the improvised explosive. He also took Ed's deck box with him. He was once told that some of these cards were rare and valuable.

"Watch my vehicle for me."

"Sure thing, DD." DD was a nickname that the people in The Niche had given him. It was an affectionate shorting on Double D, he supposed. He had help some of these people with jobs and with fixing broken merchandise, very expensive merchandise, for little or no cost. Eddy always nagged him about no using The Niche to make more money whenever they went.

"_But, if they met some of the people I have here, they might find it hard to believe that, deep down, The Niche is a bad place to be in."_ Double D thought, passing by a weapons merchant totting around a custom shotgun. Rolf would like that, but he was looking for something Eddy and May could use.

"_Eddy could use a new sniper rifle. He never performs maintenance on his old one. I'm surprised it worked, due to the fact that it was once his brother's, who used it often."_ Double D rounded a corner, looking at the rest of the venue available. Most shops were selling broken down or cheap electronics. Double D bought a few, if only because certain parts of them could be rigged into new devices that they needed to replace. _"May has small, but muscular, hands, so I guess she would probably be best at using a small handgun."_

"Come to think of it, has she ever wielded a gun before?" Double D wondered. In his past 'encounters' with the Kankers, they preferred to simply beat their adversary senseless with their bare hands. "Perhaps I should purchase brass knuckles too?"

"Pst! Hey you!"

"Me?" Double D asked, turning about to look for the person who he thought was trying to address him.

"Yeah you! Want to acquire some fine weaponry to protect your home and kin? Just come on down to Joe's Gun Shoppe, only twenty feet to the left."

Double D looked left and saw a small warehouse with a single man in front of it, holding a megaphone, though unnecessary to speak to Double D, it did help draw a crowd. "Well, it can't hurt to look, I suppose." This all seemed strangely familiar, somehow…

* * *

Business was slowing down back at Café K, but that was usual at this time of day. This was between the last of the breakfast goers leaving and just before lunch traffic started coming in. Most of the employees, namely Jimmy, Sarah, Nazz and May, took a break at this time while the other two Kankers, with some help from the Ed's and Johnny helped clean up the café and make it look presentable to the next flow of customers.

However, today, Marie came over to the Eds' table. "Say, have you two seen Double D?"

"Who's asking?" Eddy snorted, not looking up from the newspaper.

"I am." Marie said, ripping the paper out of his hands.

"Oh, uh… H-hey, Marie." Eddy said. Not liking the look on her face, he quickly spat out the quickest explanation he could think of. "Double D went out to do some errands for Lee about an hour ago, he should be back-"

"He went out to The Niche, didn't he?" Marie asked, trying not to sound worried, but hints of it still seeped through. "I wish he would tell us before doing stuff like this."

"He told me and Eddy, does that count?"

"Shut it, lumpy!" Eddy wasn't in the mood to get killed just yet.

Marie grabbed a black hood off a rack near the door and yelled quickly as she went through. "Lee, I'm going out!" She did this because she knew if she asked Lee's permission beforehand, she would stop her from leaving.

Eddy and Ed quickly grabbed their coats and some weapons before following Marie out the door.

"Don't worry Lee; we'll make sure she don't get hurt or nothing!" Eddy said, receiving a rare nod of approval from the eldest Kanker. Amy joined them.

"I'll come too." She said, somewhat insecure about her business with meddle Ed. "There's something I want to talk about with Double D."

"Sure, come along." Eddy sighed, getting tired of the request that people have been handing him. "Anyone else coming?" He asked loudly, cocking his gun for emphasis. He received no answer. "Good."

* * *

The four of them arrived in the jeep through the same path Double D took. However in the short span of time between the two separate visits, the guards had already changed shifts.

"Pretty loose knit operation here, right?" Amy said. This was the first time she had been to The Niche, although many others like her went there on 'training missions.' This was also Marie first time in The Niche.

"Hold it." A rough looking man said, waving for them to stop. He then pointed to Eddy and Ed. "You two can go on through, but no girls allowed." He spat on the ground and leaned against door, placing his head uncomfortably close to Marie's. "This is a rather _rough _part of town. Be a shame for something _bad_ to happen to you two."

"I sure we can manage." She answered back with mock politeness.

"Hey, you got spunk! I like that in a girl!" He chuckled. "Reminds me of my sis! Did one heck of a number on us that one time!" He turned to the guards behind the gates. "They're clear! They got spunk on their side!"

The chain link fence slowly slid aside, and Eddy pulled up right next to Double D's motorcycle.

"Well, he's here alright." Marie said, inspecting the cycle.

"Hey my deck box is gone."

"He probably took it with him stupid!"

"Shut up you two." Amy said. "Let's look around for him. What was he looking for?"

Eddy thought for a moment. "He said he was going to buy weapons, didn't he?"

"Well that narrows it down." Amy grimaced.

"Let's look for a place that sells sniper rifles." Marie suggested suddenly. All she received from the other three were awkward stares. "Double D is good at prioritizing stuff right? So the first thing he'd probably do is look for a new sniper rifle for Eddy."

"That's pretty good deductive skills." Amy remarked.

Eddy nodded slowly. "We'd better split up. Cover more ground." He craned his neck over to his right. "Me and Ed will go this away." Turning to leave, he put his hand up to his head in the phone hand sign. "Call me if you need me!"

* * *

"So, uh, Joe, what stock of weaponry do you have?" Double D asked, examining several firearms on the shelf. Actually, he didn't need to ask to see that this Joe person had quite a diverse collection of weaponry. He had everything from old Civil War weaponry to modern rifles that he was sure weren't on the market yet. He even had a few European swords and a claymore (which wasn't for sale).

"We have a little it of everything." He said, sliding a crate to side and slipping through the narrow passage he created as he led Double D further back. "Be careful around some of these crates." Joe warned. "They contain Oxidization Grenades."

Oxidization Grenades were not really a time of grenade, per se. These explosives were meant to be thrown in to an enemy encampment. The materials that they were made of didn't produce as loud a noise as grenades did and were made to crack open upon landing. Once the combustible solution was exposed to the open air, it would ignite and explode very, very violently. Soldiers _affectionately_ referred to these explosions as 'Hell Geysers.'

"_Odd. These are given only to the military."_ Double D thought, examining and scrutinizing the crates. _"It's rare even for The Niche to have these."_

"Have you've made your selection, sir?" Joe asked to someone around the corner.

"Yeah, yeah just give me a sec!" A familiar voice shouted.

"Frank?" Double D asked, poking his head around the corner. Frank stood there, holding a bag full of alcohol bottles and another holding several firearms.

"Double D, we've got to stop meeting like this." He said. "Well as much as I would like to talk right now, I have to go." He squeezed through the opening and left the warehouse.

"Frank is a strange fellow, isn't he?" Joe chuckled.

"Yes, indeed he is." Double D muttered. _"This is getting most strange."_

Double D left Joe's shop, a rifle strapped to his back and box of ammo strapped to his belt. "Time to go meet my contact." He headed out quickly; he already knew where to go. He had met this contact several times before at the place he heading. It was their most frequent meeting place.

The meeting place, however, was less than glamorous. It was composed of two simple wooded sheds so close together a person could barely squeeze through. But the two sheds, which were obviously built shoddy and to be quickly abandoned, were positioned at slants so the narrow passage gradually widened into a covert meeting place.

Double D swiveled his arm around to read his watch. "Only ten more minutes…" That amount of time here could feel like an eternity very quickly.

* * *

"Alright Ed, let's head back!" Eddy said, pulling Ed along as he told him for the fifth time that they were going.

"But they have chickens, Eddy!"

"Grow up, are you 16 or what?!" Eddy growled as he and Ed approached Marie and Amy. The two girls had apparently been wanting for sometime. Marie was tapping her foot impatiently while Amy was cleaning her gun. She had also appeared to taken the liberty of shopping for a few firearms.

"Did you find him?" Marie asked, saying it so fast she nearly bit her tongue.

"No." Eddy said. "He must be at the old hangout, but we haven't been there since this became The Niche. I can't think of any reason he'd go there."

"Why not?" Amy asked.

"It's all the way in the back." Ed answered. "There are some pretty weird folks down there. You wouldn't want to go there."

"Yeah, one of them stabbed me once." Eddy said, rubbing his side for emphasis. "I still have the scar."

Amy giggled a bit. That stunned everyone. Sure, they had heard her laugh and chuckle, but never did they hear a giggle out of her.

"You forget just _what_ I am." She said, cocking back her pistol.

* * *

Double D checked his watch again. His contact was now five minutes late. He should have expected this, due to the contact's occupation, but then again they would have brawled against everyone along the way.

"This is getting monotonous." Double D sighed.

"Outta the way!" A voice shouted followed by the sound of metal pipe landing on something that coughed with each hit. The person holding the pipe sidled his way through the passage of the two sheds. When he got fully through he tossed the pipe away carelessly.

"You should find a better meeting place." He said, his voice familiar to Double D's ears, if aged somewhat. "This place is a death trap for guys like me."

Double D smiled. "I figured it wouldn't be a problem… Lieutenant Kevin."

* * *

_Author's Notes: Hooray for Kevin's first physical appearance! I don't have much to say without spoiling the story so stay tuned. Mr. Who signing out in 3-2-1~~~!_


	9. Chapter 9: The Returner

Author's Notes: I'm glad that everyone liked Kevin's intro (well, almost everyone). Now we're on to the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 9: The Returner

Kevin certainly had grown in the time he had been gone, or at least, in the two and half years everyone else thought he had been gone. He had discarded his red cap, intent on letting everyone see his hair, which he had decided to let grow back out. Still he wore a green hoodie, though it was now a darker green. More like an army green.

"Been a while Double D." Kevin said. He took his usual seat in the alley, a rusting steel barrel. "I think we need to spread out our meetings a bit more. The colonel getting suspicious."

Double D chuckled. "He wasn't before? We meet once a month for a status update."

Both he and Kevin shared a good hearty laugh, the first that that they had had, or heard, for quite sometime. After a few moments, they had finally calmed down enough get to the serious stuff. At this time, Double D would jump on the roof and look over the area before proceeding. This was to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them. However, from now on, all he had to do was use his heat and x-ray vision to give the place a good look over.

Satisfied that there was no one other than them, he proceeded. "I heard that you made the rank of lieutenant. Congratulations." He mockingly held his hand out for a shake, but Kevin took it anyway.

"In another world maybe. So, Nazz got my letter." Kevin said. He scratched his head, suddenly looking very regretful. "Does she still hate me for leaving?"

Double D slowly shook his head. "I can only guess. But, as for the others, hell yeah they're angry." He laid his hand on Kevin's shoulder, trying to reassure him. "What we did was for the betterment of the group. We've all suffered from it, but you the most, even more so than myself." Kevin looked up, looking more relieved.

"You've lied to protect your family and that would hurt anyone."

Kevin smiled. "First we were a team, now we're a family?" He laid his head back, resting it against the shed's wall. "Did Marie come up with that?" Double D smiled wide and nodded. "Feels nice to be part of a family again."

Suddenly Kevin jump of the barrel and turned to Double D. "So anyway, now that I'm a Lieutenant, I could dig deeper than before." From his hoodie, he revealed a small stack of files. They were all copies of official military and government documents. "You're hunch was dead on. Metchel is up to something big, real big."

Double D opened the folder and the very first paper was titled 'UPDATE: PROJECT ZEUS':

"_Sent to: COLONEL- Teverson, Jerald- Lemon Brook Armed Forces Base_

_From: _XXXXXXXX _(Requires Security Clearance 9-13 to reveal sender)_

'Project Zeus'_ has been officially terminated. Stated reasons: the betrayal of Dr. Ivan Metchel. Suspect has secretly been funneling money to fund an underground anti-government army while also providing assistance with the _X-ians_, the fruits of _'Project Zeus'_. The owner of a pawn shop is also believed to be involved in the relationship between this army and Metchel. The United States Government orders your base to search and apprehend the renegade doctor and put down this underground army. You must do this while making public awareness minuet or we may face a civil war._

_You are also ordered to capture and coerce any _X-ians_ you locate into aiding the effort to find Metchel. If you are unsuccessful, issue _Order 1LMB0 _(see attachment file). Sources report the main source of the army's weaponry is Lemon Brook City's _'The Niche'_. Proceed how you see fit while maintaining protocol."_

"So, what I am has a name other than human now?" Double D thought aloud. "X-ian sounds good, though."

Kevin shrugged, not really caring what the government called the genetically enhanced. "From what I can gather up, Metchel wants to use this terrorist army to overthrow the government, so he can be in control."

"This is why he had me deliver the alien artifact to the pawn shop owner, Van." Double D sighed. "He must be planning to make them X-ians. He's seems to be obsessed with the idea that they're the future of the human race."

"There's only one problem…" Kevin started. "Only people with a specific gene sequence can become X-ians. You, Double D, are one of the few." Double D folded his arms, letting Kevin know he had figured out that much on his own. "So what's next?"

"So, what's Order 1LMB0?" Double D asked.

Kevin sighed and rested his head in one of his hands. "There the government's answer to the 'rogue' X-ians. They're called Black Boxes. Tech and drug enhanced soldiers that, for short 'bursts', can go toe to toe with an X-ian." Kevin went into detail that by 'burst' he meant that the black box-like container on the soldier's back would inject a drug the temporarily increased the person's adrenaline, which would increase speed and strength enough to fight an X-ian. "But the problem is that the drugs affect their minds, makes them a bit…" He started twirling his finger around his ear.

"Sounds horrible."

"Nah, most of 'em were nuts to begin with."

"So, I guess the hunt is on then?" Double D stated. He carefully looked through the contents of the files. Then, as per the protocol he and Kevin set up, threw the files in a steel barrel and threw in several lit matches. He and Kevin watched as the files quickly caught fire and burned.

But no matter how Double D looked at it, something still didn't add up. Why would Metchel, whose sole wish was to revolutionize all of humanity, try something so simple as to just try and take over the United States?

_  
"Why, with the army of X-ians under his influence that he as now, would help some underground rebellion do it?"_ Double D thought. _"He could just set Wes in the capital alone and let him go loose and win. Something isn't right."_

Double D sighed. No need to give himself a headache trying to figure out Metchel's vast perverse schemes in one sitting. "Hey, Kevin, it's been awhile since we've hung out in a casual environment. So how about we go to a café or something."

"Sure." Kevin said. "My treat."

* * *

It had been a while since Ed and Eddy had been to this part of The Niche. A longer while than they thought apparently. It seemed that with time, this place had only gotten rougher. Some of these guys the Eds remembered from their last visit, when Eddy was supposedly stabbed. However this time it was different…

This time, the Eds had guns. And having a genetically enhanced super soldier totting about a dozen rifles and small handguns on their side didn't hurt either.

"I don't like how this place looks Eddy." Ed said in a hushed voice.

Eddy gave him a mockingly sympathetic pat. "Relax Ed, we'll be fine. We're professional mercenaries." He looked over a small group of people who were glaring at them. He gave them a raspberry and a thumbs down. "They're just thugs."

But it seemed these "thugs" didn't like to be snubbed, and three particularly nasty looking ones wanted to give Eddy a piece of their minds. Walking right up to them, the giants towered over even Ed, who was also a much prettier sight than these three.

"You gots a problem with us, tiny?" The tallest and meanest of them said. One of men behind him pulled out a large nailed bat, the other whipped out a pocket knife. "We don't dig trash talk here, kiddies."

"Look at 'em, boss." The one with the bat chuckled while putting at Amy. "Their so wimpy the have the girls hauling their gear." He walked behind her and attempting to push her forward. "How's about you ditch these no shines and hang out with us. We'll make you feel real go-"

He was cut off however, when Amy dropped all her guns, spun around and elbowed him in the face, all in one smooth motion. Everything below the man's nose was bloody and two of his teeth were lying on the ground in front of him.

"My face!" He hollered, clutching his bleeding mouth and nose. The he furrowed his eyebrows as much as they could. He picked up the bat and brought it over his head, intent on smashing Amy's skull into her brain. "I'll kill you, ya bit-"

He silenced himself however, when he felt something metallic tap the back of his head. The man turned and saw Eddy aiming his rifle at point blank range while Ed held a pistol at the other two.

"It ain't polite to hit a lady." Eddy said. He tapped the barrel against the guy's head again, harder this type. "Now, drop the bat or I'll drop the hammer." He cocked the guy to prove his point.

Amy cracked a smile, albeit a small one. "I would say 'My hero' but I could have handled this myself-" She stopped when they all heard a bang and Eddy's hands seemed to exploded in a fountain of blood. The three kids watch in shock as Eddy fell over clutching his bleeding hands between his knees as the three thugs chuckled.

"Eddy!" Ed said, dropping his gun and rushing to his friend's side. "Don't worry, we'll get you help."

"No use running now." The leader thug said. "Our buddy has you in his sights, if anyone of yous moves, he won't be aiming for hands next time."

"Coward." Marie grumbled.

Amy, though she didn't like the tight spot they were in now, couldn't help but nod the strategy. "So you place someone with a gun somewhere just in case things don't go your way? Got to say, you're smart thugs."

The thugs chuckled, thinking that they finally had the kids afraid. "So, if ya don't want anymore trouble, we'll take the girls as payment." He smiled even wider just thinking about what they could do with them. "They'll keep us happy for a few nights. But before that…"

His two goons grabbed and pulled Amy, Ed, and Marie away from the still wailing Eddy as he walked over to Eddy's side and kicked at Eddy.

One in the knee.

Ten times he stomped on Eddy's already broken and bleeding hands.

They didn't want to count the number of times he kicked Eddy in the gut.

"That's for threatening to shoot one of my posse!" He growled.

Amy yearned to do something to help. _"But my guns and Ed's are out of reach and if I move, I might be able to take out the sniper, but then these three will be undefended. If I try to take out the three thugs here, then the sniper will fire."_ She hugged herself tighter, trying to figure out a solution.

BANG! BANG!

Two simultaneous shots rung out. The dirt around the thug leader's foot exploded as the round struck. The other was only to grab the attention of everyone there. Everyone's eyes trailed their way to an alleyway opening, where Kevin stood holding his gun at the thugs while Double D held a fourth thug and one of his guns aimed at the sky.

"Are we interrupting something?" Kevin asked mockingly.

Double D redirected his gun at them. "Step away from my friends and leave. If you try anything, I will shoot to kill."

The fourth thug fainted so Double D dropped him and pulled out his second gun. He cocked them both. "Leave. Now." He said in a commanding voice. The thugs dropped their weapons and ran. Double D didn't waste anytime and flashed over to Eddy.

"Let's get you back to the café." Double D was about to pick him up when Eddy pointed. Double D followed it direction to Kevin and back to Eddy's face which, pain aside, definitely did not seemed pleased.

"What's _he_ doing here?" He said staring at Kevin with as much hatred as he could muster before falling unconscious. Double D frowned as Ed picked up Eddy while looking at Kevin in similar disgust. Marie looked from him to Kevin, looking very confused.

Double D watched as his team left the scene before looking back at it himself. Someone would find the knife, bat, unconscious thug, gun, blood and used rounds eventually. He didn't have time to clean it up, so he prayed that hopefully whoever found it wouldn't care. He was about to turn away when something caught his eye. Something glowed in one of the alleys. When he looked again it was gone.

"Probably just the sun shining off something." He said, not quite sure himself. He glanced back, just to be sure, but again there was nothing.

* * *

Wes watched from the alley as they left. He saw the whole thing and hoped that Double D didn't see him because of his glowing hair. After Double D left, he walked out his hiding place. He picked up Ed's forgotten gun, left behind when Eddy's safety took the group's priority.

"_Ed's fingerprint might lead the police to Double D."_ Wes thought almost robotically as he stuffed the gun into a spare holster on his belt. Next he proceeded to the small pool of blood.

Wes grunted. "_This will be a problem. How can I clean this up with out leaving anything to sample behind?"_ After quick thought, he pulled out a large flask and held out his arm. He had always wanted to try this since the doctor explained the process to him. _"Focus on the intent and goal."_ With pushes from his mind, the blood, even the already drying portions, rose from the ground. It was hard a first but became easier as time went on.

Eventually Wes got all the blood into the flask. He prided himself on his efficiency. Not a drop was left. Next, Wes looked over to the thug, who was still out cold. He would have to search out for the other three, but he had to execute the final step before they spoke to anyone, even if they probably didn't see anything.

He flipped the top off his gun's holster, the Velcro making ripping sounds as he did so, and pulled out his pistol. "No witnesses. No proof Double D was here." Wes said coldly, aiming his gun and tightening on the trigger…

* * *

Not everyone at Café K took kindly to Kevin's return. In fact, it seemed no one did but Double D and Amy, the latter of which had no idea what the were mad at him about. He hoped that would change when he and Kevin had the time to explain. But that would have to happen after they got Eddy treated.

Nazz and Lee, the closest people they had to doctors, closed the door behind them as they left the bunk room. From the expression the others saw on their faces as they descended the stairway, it didn't looked good.

"How is he?" Double D asked.

Lee plopped down in a chair and sighed deeply. "He'll live, but those bullets did a number on his hands. They might never fully heal, in fact, that's the most likely outcome."

"What about those kicks?" Marie asked. Everything seemed to brighten up when Nazz and Lee smiled.

"Compared to what he's been through, those were nothing." Nazz said.

"Good." Double D said. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and agonizing wheels in his head started turning, pounding into his temples. "_What the hell am I saying?! My friend might not be able to use his hands ever again and all I say is-"_

"Double D." Someone said suddenly. He looked his side as a pair arms wrapped around him and he found Marie comforting him. He looked up and his vision blurred, but he could make out Rolf handing him a cloth.

"Toughen up, Sock headed one." Rolf said, thrusting a cloth in his face. "A grown man never cries!" Contrary to his own declaration, Rolf himself seemed to be on the verge of crying himself.

Double D accepted the cloth and began wiping away his tears before realizing something. When was the last time he had cried? He searched his memory, but could not remember anything. In fact, when was the last time any of them had cried?

"Don't listen to Rolf, Double D." Amy said. "Everyone has to cry once in a while, even if just to cry."

"Would you all quit being some damn wishy-washy!" Kevin shouted, cutting right through the conversation. "I don't know if any of you noticed, but you're down a sniper! And Ed is too big for the job you're trying to pull. The guard's would notice straight off!"

"Since when did you get the right to lecture us you traitor!" Jonny said, raising his voice. They had all heard Jonny get loud before, but the seriousness he put into it caught them all off guard. "You stabbed us in the back! I outta-"

"Jonny stand down!" Double D ordered as Jonny raised his fist. The stare that Double D was giving him made him lower it, reluctantly. "I'll explain what happened later, when Eddy wakes up. But right now, I order you all to put the problems of the past behind you." Double D stood up. The confused stares of his team sent pangs of regret through him. He wanted to explain it to them, but, as he said himself, it had to wait until later.

Double D decided it was best to continue on, mainly because he didn't want a brawl to erupt. "Kevin has a point, Eddy is our best sniper and the guards at the base are trained enough to spot Ed." He folded his arms and looked at his team. "We'll need a new one…"

He looked straight at Amy and looked at her sympathetically. "… If she's willing to help." Amy only smiled and nodded, gladly willing to help.

Double D sighed. "Now then, it's been an eventful day. I suggest we all get some rest." He just turned when he caught a glimpse of Kevin walking out the front door, eager to leave before another fight could (almost) erupt. Double D shook his head.

"_Now look what happened. He's probably heading back to the barracks."_ Double D chastised himself. _"If only you told when you had the first chance, Eddward!"_ He turned back to his team, who were beginning to go back to their daily routines.

* * *

Two hours later, they all were just going about the café, each teen doing their own order of business. Ed stayed by the bunk room's door, awaiting the moment Eddy awakes. Jimmy and Sarah, as usual, were busy making the newest menu. Nazz and May were in the kitchen, doing today's dishes while Lee calculated today's profits. The look on her face told Double D they didn't do so well today. Jonny, Rolf and Amy all sat around one of the café tables talking about weaponry and war tactics. Marie was in the garage, working on Double D's motorcycle. It seemed someone had put a dent in it while he left it unattended.

Double D, however, sat by his usual window, on his usual side of the table, with his usual cup of milk and calcium pills. However, he wasn't thinking his usual thoughts. He raised his hand and looked at it. He had gotten his unique power; it was just his luck that 'unique' didn't have an instruction manual.

He looked at his hand and hoped that trying to visualize the inside of it would help. He knew the name of every bone, muscle, tendon and nerve in it, but he made the wild guess that wouldn't help him. So he tried a new approach, he just simply focused on it, trying to make sheer willpower activate the power.

It seemed to be working, if only a little. He could make out the faint outlines of the bones. He made circles on the table with his finger and watched with intrigue as he flesh and muscle pushed back until a small amount of it came between the bone and muscle. He then unfocused, allowing the bone images to fade away, realizing how actually creepy it was.

"It's creepy, but it's progress." He muttered.

Now he focused on a different matter. A more serious matter. What could be Metchel planning?

"_By all means, it doesn't make any logical sense."_ Then Double D remembered that Metchel was hardly ever 'logical.' _"He convinces the government to fund his project to create X-ians, then goes rogue. Next he assists Van and some 'army' he has running, giving them equipment to make more X-ians and gets more weapons from the Niche."_ Double D rubbed his head. _"Could he be planning a government takeover? No, that can't be it. Metchel is the type of man who doesn't have the slightest interest in politics."_

Double D drank his milk and pills before resting his head on the table. This wasn't working. He needed more facts and he wouldn't be able to get them until tomorrow. Double D sighed greatly and continued his ponderings as he stared out the window. However, something out on the street totally stopped his trail of thought. There was a police car out on the other side of the street. The only two occupants, obviously members of the police force, were staring at the café.

No… More precisely, they were looking directly at him.

Double D's and one of the officer's eyes locked for a moment, just a single moment. But that moment felt like years to them. The officer motioned for the other to get moving and Double D watched as the police car sped off. "Oh, my…"

"Do you think he saw us sir?" The chief's assistant asked.

The police chief, Theodore S. Peterson, grunted, mainly at the officer's incompetence. "He saw us all right, and I looked him in the eyes." Theodore pulled out his gun and checked the magazine making sure it was full and ready.

"We'll return tomorrow night." The chief said. "My gut tells me that they'll be busy during the day."

* * *

Author's Notes: So here's chapter 9. I hope you liked it. You will now be seeing a lot a Kevin from now on. And with that, I'm gone. Happy Halloween!

P.S. Be on alert during November! Death NotED will return yet!


	10. Chapter 10: Blood Craving

Author's Notes: Here it is numero diez. Only a bit of action, but more of the plot is unfolding.

* * *

Chapter 10: The Blood Craving

It had been early, very early, in the morning when Ed's shout awoke everyone to the fact that Eddy had regained consciousness. Though everyone wished to see him, Lee decided it would be best for Eddy's health not to have too many visitors at once. Ed and Double D were the first ones to go.

Ed burst through the bunk room door, rushing to Eddy's side as if a bomb had been strapped to his legs. "EDDY!" He sat in one of the chairs beside the bed and look over Eddy, making sure himself if he was really okay. "How you holding up buddy?"

Eddy, looking very tired and ragged for someone who technically slept for almost half a day, gave a weak, but still his signature smug, smile. "Feel like a million bucks, lumpy." Eddy joked sarcastically. He looked over to his hands. He tried to clench his right hand into a fist, despite Double D and Lee's protests. But all he could manage was a twitch of his thumb. "Doesn't hurt or nothin'."

Double D shook his head, rubbing it as he felt the combination of his raggedness and headache coming on. "You really shouldn't do that Eddy. You'll risk further damage to your hands."

"Ah, quit worrying, you ninny." Eddy groaned. "I feel fine; I can't even feel my hand!" He moved his arm, but to his surprise the numbness in his hands moved all the way up to his elbows. Unable to feel or move properly, he fell off the bed and onto the wooden floor like a lead weight.

Lee picked him up and with Ed's help she moved him back into the bed.

"That's because I pumped it full of anesthetics, you twerp!" Lee shouted, not at all impress with Eddy's wounded soldier routine. It took a minute for the harshness of her voice to sink in. Then she looked apologetic. "Sorry, it's just that we've been up all night worrying about you…"

"… And then you try to act like as if nothing happened." Double D said. "But something did happen and I'm the cause of it. I… I-I need to leave!" He got up from his chair and walked out of the room. No one called after him. No one said anything. No one did anything to stop him. They all knew that when Double D talked like that, leaving him alone to think was the first, but not only, solution. But something didn't seem right about, as if there was something that just came up was bothering him.

Blood. Every since he had walked into the bunkroom, he could smell it. He could smell it coming out from Eddy's bandages, from his body, even Ed's and Lee's blood he could smell. Every smell in the room was intensified to Double D, they all made his nostrils burn and his eyes water. But the worst of it all, the utmost worst, the stinking, and maddening, nearly drunken like smell of the blood. The most abominable thing about though was that somehow, someway, he _craved_ it.

It was some type of craving, but not like the craving that people usually associate to be vampire-like. He didn't want to feed on the blood, he was sure of that. But he craved it; he wanted more of it somehow. No, he didn't want it. Something else, something deep inside him wanted it. No, Nah, it said. It wanted to cause more of it. It felt like it wanted to paint the world red with blood.

It wanted to let loose and ripped off heads, just to watch the fountains of red spring forth and then die down just as quickly. It wanted to tear objects apart just kill people with the fragments that remained. It wanted to watch every living thing die away in every way possible, just for it's own amusement, just to vent away some of it's undying rage and malice.

But if it, whet ever it was, was deep inside him, didn't that mean he wanted it too? He wasn't sure anymore. He wasn't really sure of anything since Eddy's hands had been shot, never to recover. But wasn't he responsible for that? He felt that he was. If he had just told everyone he was leaving and why, then maybe Marie would have went after him and dragged Eddy along with her. He might as well have shot Eddy.

The thing inside him felt like it went in and out, smaller then bigger. It felt like it was having a hardy laugh. But at what? Him, maybe? _"It would make sense."_ Double D thought, reaching the roof of Café K. _"If it is inside me, then all it could know is me. How I think, feel and act."_ This definitely wasn't one of Double D's finer weeks. First Metchel, then Van, next was Eddy getting shot and now, he had monster that knew as much about him as he himself does. But just what was this monster? Was it some manifestation of his current state of mind coupled with his ever growing powers, or was it part of his powers' growth, a sort of next stage of progression?

He would have to go to Metchel for the answers… Or, maybe…

"_If it this really did start as a government project, then maybe there's something about this in the military base we're hacking today."_ Double D thought while giving a heaving sigh. _"I just hope I can control this monster, and this new sense of smell, in the meantime."_

Three knocks on the window pane pulled Double D from his thoughts, if only briefly and slightly. Amy, already halfway out, was climbing through and on to the roof with ease.

"Is it okay if I come out?" Amy asked. She sound concerned, more so than usual. In fact Double D couldn't remember a time when she did sound concerned. She always acted so calm and clever.

"Sure." Double D answered back. He noted that there was a peculiar growl to his voice now, though, like an accent, he was sure he could force it back.

"I sensed that there was something wrong with you." Amy sighed. Double D sat down on the roof as she pulled next to him. He was about to speak when she interrupted him. Amy put a sharp serious tone in her voice. "Don't lie to me Eddward."

Double D had never known her to call him Eddward before, something that even Ed and Eddy didn't do usually. To him this was a whole new side of Amy.

"_Probably wouldn't work to lie anyway."_ Double D thought, grimacing and resting his head on his uplifted knee. _"She would just sense it anyway."_

"I don't know what's going on with me." He said plainly, still fighting not to growl it out. "Ever since Jackson injected me with that serum, I've felt like there was a monster in me. It was like it was clawing itself out a den and now I think it wants to hunt." What made Double D feel worse, though he'd dare not utter it, was that he was afraid _who_ the monster would hunt.

Amy sighed. "You're beating yourself up to much. You have been since you became a full fledged X-ian!"

Double D shot up at her last word, feeling a mix of anger, suspicion and, mainly, surprise. In response, Amy stood up as well, not backing down however severe Double D made his cold glare.

"How do you know that term?" He spat out angrily, trying hard to keep hatefulness out of it. He regretted that the monster's hate was spilling over into him, but he needed answers. "I haven't even known about that term until Kevin told me it yesterday!"

"That's none of your business!" Amy shouted in response. Double D took a step back, knowing he lost his composure. Amy, as washed with regret as he was, hung her head low. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"You're okay." Double D said, turn around and walking away. "I lost control, not you." Double D sat down once more on the roof. A war was being fought in his body and he had already lost the first battle. Not a very good start.

"You just need to keep fighting." Amy said reassuringly. She tried smiling to see if Double D would respond to it, but suddenly he seemed cold and distant.

"Can you be certain?"

"No, as far as I know, this has never happened to an X-ian before." Amy sat down next to him and turned him to face her. "But I do know one thing, pushing away your friends won't help. They're what make you strong, everything you've done is for your friends."

"Their more then that…" Double D sighed. "We're all a family now." He turned to her and, at least, tried to smile kindly. "And you're a part of it now."

Amy was thankful that Double D rose right after he said that. It would save her the embarrassment of him seeing her turn a beet red. Silently, she watched him walk across the roof and slide through the window, back once more into the café. _"I guess now isn't a good time to tell him…"_

"_Will there ever be a good time to tell him?"_

* * *

Double D and May stood in the café's main area, ready for the mission. Double D was dressed in his usual attire for missions: his usual orange shirt, purple pants, black hat and a hooded cloak. He was currently armed with his two signature blade guns, a combat knife and a few explosives Eddy, Rolf and Ed managed to cook up earlier that week. He had an ammo bag attached to his belt.

May was also in her usual attire, but she was also wearing a Kevlar vest, a backpack containing all of her hacking equipment and was carrying a holstered handgun. She was delighted when Double D handed her the New Dawn mercenary company cloak. She boldly claimed she was "just like her man". Ed hid from them after the statement.

Double D knew that Amy was probably on the roof preparing Eddy's rifle for sniping. She found that it met all her standards of a sniper rifle and didn't need any improving. The plan was for her to jump from roof to roof to the military base before Van arrived in his, well, van.

"You ready?" Double D asked, turning to May.

May nodded in return, anxiousness and nervousness creeping up and down her body. "You?"

He turned to the stairs and began walking up them. "Just one more thing I have to do. I'll be back down in a bit. If Van shows, tell him to wait or to go to hell by himself." Double D continued up the stairs and headed up into the room were Eddy was recuperating.

"Thought you'd be gone by now." Eddy said.

Double D chuckled a little. "Thought I'd be gone by myself. Will you be al-"

"Don't say it." Eddy demanded. "I'll be fine. You just go on and kick some GI ass."

Double D turned to leave but looked back. "I hope it won't come to that." With that, Double D left the room and descended back down into the main area. He looked to each member of his group.

"I'm sad to say that I cannot bring you all with me. But if I could, I would. But while I'm gone, I expect you to cheer us on." He said. He kept it short. Despite his vast vocabulary, he was never a good at speeches.

"You bet we will!" Jonny cheered, starting a chain of supportive pats as May and Double D left.

* * *

The drive to the base was far from pleasant. The inside of the van, second-hand like most of Van's merchandise, was crowd by Van in the driver seat with May and Double D sharing the back with a few of Van's men. They, like the rest of the people they saw working for Van, were massively large, having to bend over in the vehicle despite sitting on the floor.

"Don't mind them." Van chuckled as May edged closer to Double D and away from the men that surrounded them. "They won't bite I swear."

"How do you plan on getting in without dying?" Double D asked, checking his gun as they neared closer and closer to the base. After he was satisfied, he placed the trigger back in and closed the frame. "I doubt that they'll let the leader of an illegal army into a military base."

Van smiled somewhat sinisterly, like someone hoping for trouble. "Our benefactor said everything would be handled. All we have to do is stick to the plan and we'll be in and out with little trouble. Damn shame if you ask me, I was hoping to kill some people."

The Ed's eyebrows furrowed in anger. "And would this benefactor, who assists in your mindless killing by the way, be named Ivan Metchel?"

"Shut your mouth!" One of the men said, his arm speeding away from his side and grabbing onto Double D's neck, pressing tightly. "It's none of your business-"

"Put him down." Van said. His voice wasn't serious, but the man still did as ordered. Van continued. "You shouldn't ask questions, all we need you to do is to fight off any soldiers you find."

"You mean the Black Boxes?"

Van's mouth dropped and he unknowingly slammed down on the brakes. He turned to face Double D. "How do you know 'bout them?"

Double D smiled, equally as mischievous as Van's. "You have your sources, I have mine."

To Double D's delight, Van shrugged and turned back to the front. They drove down the road and nothing else was said through out the rest of the drive.

* * *

Amy hurried her pace, jumping from roof to roof. The van had stopped briefly, so she was ahead of it now, but that was, as Double D put it, "part of the plan." He planned for her to get to the base first to find a good place to set up a sniper's nest. He also told her that security today would be more lax than usual, which suited everyone just fine.

Unexpectedly, Amy stopped upon the roof of a market super center. Her hand slowly grabbed Eddy's sniper rifle, which was strapped to her back. An unknown feeling washed over her, but the closest thing she could compare it to would be potential dread. Something was coming, something bad.

"It's time you came back, Amelia Rosalina Metchel."

Amy turned around and saw two people standing behind her, garbed in the usual outfit of her uncle's X-ian soldiers, white form fitting coats and black pants and boots. She immediately identified one of them as Wes, whose hair and eyes were still in a translucent glow, but the other was a stranger to her. His hair was black and slicked back, while his narrow green eyes looked over Amy. Around his belt were no guns of any kind, but an assortment of knives.

"Your job is done here Wes, you may leave." He said, not taking his eyes off Amy. Wes nodded and then looked to Amy as if to warn her in some way before his disappeared in a blur.

The stranger's mouth twisted into a smile as he continued to stare at her. "Hello Amy, my name is Edwin Ray Sir. Wes was just showing me around town before we came to get you."

Amy glared at him. Something about him didn't sit right with her. "What do you want?"

"Metchel has given me orders to retrieve you. He says that you've had more than enough time to have your fun and that it's time to come home." Edwin said, closing his eyes and smiling wider as if he was expecting something.

"And if I refuse?" She asked.

"Then that's why he sent me." Edwin smiled. The next moment he was gone and Amy felt something grip her arm. She turned around and Edwin was behind her, steadily tightening his grip on her arm. He also grabbed the sniper rifle, ripping it off and tossing it across the roof. Amy wrenched her arm out of his hand and jumped back.

"_He's fast."_ She thought, watching as he gave no sigh of frustration by her escape. _"He must be an X-ian, but he's the fastest one I've seen yet."_

"Enjoy your last moments of freedom." He said taking out two of his combat knifes. "Metchel said he wanted you back alive, but he didn't say in how many pieces." He held his knifes in a reverse grip and stood there, ready to pounce.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I've already introduced myself." Edwin let out a small chuckle. "I am Edwin Ray Sir. I am one of an elite group of black ops created by Metchel. I am codenamed Eraser." He pulled his right arm in and disappeared, reappearing in front of Amy. He thrust out his arm, catching Amy by surprise and cut her shoulder's top layers of skin.

"He considers your return a mission of high priority, but I can't imagine why!"

He raised his left knife high over his head and stab down with it. Amy got away just before he impaled it into her right shoulder.

Edwin laughed once before twirling. Amy, so preoccupied with watching his knife movements, never noticed him lifting up his leg. He made a direct strike to her side. Amy's flailing form was sent flying across the supermarket roof. To stop herself from flying off the roof completely and landing into the loading area, Amy dug her heel into the roof's tin plating. Part of the tin was wrench out of place when she did this, but she stopped flying nevertheless. Amy used the tin as best she could, hiding herself behind it.

Edwin watched the scene play out, filled with amusement but boredom would quickly set in with something didn't happen. "Is that all you have? Can't you fight in the least bit? You were trained better than this!" Not surprisingly, no answer or retort came from behind the tin. Confident that she could do anything to stop him, Edwin walked over to the tin shield. He slowly looked over it.

"Hello, I'm talking! It's rude not to respond-" He stopped when Amy came out from behind the shield, sniper rifle in hand and aimed at him. Edwin froze, realizing that he had kicked over into the same place he threw the rifle. She must have grabbed while she was in flight.

"Shut up!" Amy yelled. One round came out of rifle's barrel, catching the Eraser right his shoulder. He fell and landed flat on his back, a small pool of blood forming under his wound and his look of surprise and shock on his face.

"Damn you…" He grunted, spiting up blood. "When I'll heal I'll-"

"What? Kill me?" She said. "I thought my uncle wanted me alive." Amy re-strapped the rifle before looking back at him, making sure he was unable to follow. "I'd wait for someone to get that bullet out before you move. If your bleeding that badly then it's a bit close to your heart." With that she left in a blur, leaving an injured X-ian behind.

"Damn that bitch!" He coughed. "Metchel will have my ass for this. She truly can 'feel' the unordinary." He pulled out a cell phone and hit speed dial. "Hey Wes, I need a med pick up and don't you dare laugh when you get here!"

* * *

Van continued driving up to the bases gate. Unusually the gate was open, there were no guards patrolling the outside perimeter nor with the watch towers.

"What the hell?" Van said slowly, observing the lifeless scene. He turned to the back and looked at Double D and May. "You guys have anything to do with this?"

Double D didn't answer, but he knew full well what was going on, but he wouldn't tell Van. Kevin had convinced the base colonel to schedule an inspection of the bases facilities and so everyone, save for administrative personnel, were at the barracks for the inspection. Security at the base was currently minimal.

"Well, are we going to go in or sit here all day?" Double D asked impatiently.

Van put the vehicle into drive and set of into the base grounds. He pulled up to and parked at the nearest door. He jumped out while Double D and May climbed out the back.

"Here's the plan: My boys will watch over the van while we're getting the data inside." Van handed May a flash drive. "I want you to hack into their mainframe and get all their data. Think you can do that?"

"In less than 10 minutes." May replied. She looked over to Double D, who had given her a flash drive a short while ago. Everything Van would get, they would get too. All they had to do was come up with a reason for why the hacking would take longer that it actually would.

Van gave a wide grin before priming his shotguntar. "Let's do it then." From an in coat pocket he reveal an ID card which he swiped through the card reader. The reader's light went from red to green and the door unlocked.

Van looked back at the two teens, smiling devilishly. "We're in."

* * *

Author's Notes: Well, that's it for now; we'll be getting back into the serious action next chapter. Hope you all like Eraser (you'll be seeing him every now and then). Also check back to see what's up with Double D's powers.


	11. Chapter 11: The Black Box

Author's Notes: Sorry for not updating sooner. I can only imagine the suffering you are going through on part of my actions. I now present you with the next chapter of this story.

* * *

Chapter 11: The Black Box

Double D, May and Van continued down the hallway. So far, everything was going according to Double D's plan. They hadn't met any resistance… yet.

"Where is everyone?" Van murmured, scratching his hand that was holding his shotguntar.

Ay shoved the barrel away from her. "Watch it!"

"Sorry."

"_The inspection can't last much longer. We had better get to this data room fast."_ Double D thought, turning to Van. "Do you know where we're going?"

Van nodded and started running down a hall. "Keep up if you can!" He was faster than most people Double D had met, but keeping up wasn't a problem for him. May, however, was having difficulties keeping up. Luckily, Van noticed this also and slowed down accordingly.

"Why is it that I have to work with kids?" He groaned.

Sudden anger flared in Double D. "Why is it that you have to be such a damn asshole?"

The rebel leader nearly jumped out of his skin from the chills Double D's voice gave him. "W-O-W, touchy."

"My apologies." Double D answered half-heartedly. He really did mean what he said; he just didn't mean to say it. Despite what just happened, the three continued on. Van lifted his shotguntar up and ready to fire while Double D had both of his bladed guns drawn out of their holsters.

They turned a corner and suddenly Double D heard a steady repeating sound. Immediately he stopped the troupe with a lift of his arm. It was light taps, probably made by heavy shoes.

"Someone's coming." He said, forcing the other two back a few steps and back around the corner. A uniformed man, probably one of the administrative staff, walked right by them. Van lifted his weapon, but Double D forced the barrel down and didn't speak until the sounds of the man's feet were gone.

"Do you want to _announce_ that we are here?" Double D nearly screamed.

Van shrugged. "I thought he saw us. I was going to make sure it wasn't going to become a problem."

"Why do you have a shotgun in a guitar anyway? I thought armies used machine guns."

"It has personal value, you bastard!" Van yelled. He turned and started storming off. "Now let's just go!"

Double D raised an eyebrow, turning to May before following. "And he thinks that I'm touchy?"

* * *

"So you've lost the esper?"

Eraser, kneeling before a chair that was turned away from him, slowly nodded. He looked sullen, in a most disgraceful way. "I'm afraid so, sir. I underestimated her. I would like to note that it wasn't my usual type of mission."

"Yes it wasn't. Perhaps it was a miscalculation on my part? It some piece of emotion cloud my judgment?" The voice said in bitter wonder. His bitterness only grew as he raised his voice. "Gather the others. Bring her back. I must have her back in order for the plan to succeed."

A smile appeared on Eraser's face and only grew wider and wider. "But of course, Dr. Metchel."

* * *

"The data room should be just up ahead!" Van said as they ran through the hall. They were in a hurry now. Whatever last minute inspection that could be done was probably reaching its middle point by now.

"We had better pick up the pace." Double D said. "We need to be out of here before the inspection ends!"

"How long do we got?" May asked.

Double D grimaced. "I'd say forty five minutes at the most." It wasn't nearly enough time. If there wasn't a Black Box guarding the data room, he knew they _might_ be able to make it in, get the data and get out before the main base became flooded with personnel. But if there was a guard, then Double D couldn't be certain they'd even get out at all.

Van led them around a corner and into a hall that lacked any places to enter, save for the blue door at the hallway's end.

"There it is!" Van exclaimed.

Double D sped ahead of Van and May, quickly gaining speed. "The door is bolted shut and locked." He said, looking through the door with his x-ray vision. He saw no one inside the room. "The room is empty. I'll get us in." With one huge burst of speed, he disappeared just as the door flew off its hinges into the room. Double D then reappeared in the data room.

Double D aimed his gun into all corners of the room. The room was large, with several rows of computer monitors all connect to a larger monitor almost taking up the entirety to the far wall. A server, shaped like a large and shiny box, sat at the base. An elevated white floor with railings, which Double D stood on, lead to it.

Double D waved May and Van, who had his shotguntar raised up, into the room. Van stayed by the door to act as a look out while Double D and May approached the server…

Then Double D heard it. The sound of metal sliding against metal as a magnetized device de-activated. Double D reacted as quickly as could.

"Get back!" He yelled, pushing May down as he jumped back.

A figure, in a black full body suit, fell from the ceiling. He had a katana-like sword in hand and slashed at the as he dropped. He strike missed the two teens, but only barely. He quickly rose from his crouched position in lazed way, apparently using minimal energy for every movement, and put the katana back into its sheathe which was built into a big black box on the suit back. Covering his head was a black helmet, which seemed to lack eyeholes but instead had a purple jewel just below the forehead.

"Intruders identified." He said, his voiced muffled. He pulled a contraption from his shoulder and attached it to his forearm. It seemed to be part shield and part gun. "Engaging the targets."

Only one word could come to Double D's mind. "Shit."

He grabbed May and brought her close just as the Black Box came at them. Double D rolled backward ad pushed May into Van's unexpecting arms before coming back up and firing a few rounds at the opposing super soldier. The Black Box dodged the rounds with ease as he initiated a burst.

"What do you want me to do?" Van yelled as he put down May and picked up his weapon.

Double D turned his head to him. "You seriously need to ask?" The Black Box jumped and came down on him. Double D blocked by holding up his blades. The gun-shield made contact with the razor sharp edges of the blades, covering the fighters in a small shower of sparks. In the light, Double D could see the glint of sharpened edges on the shield.

"So it's a three-in-one weapon?"

The soldier laughed. "Very observant." Apparently using another burst, he kicked Double D back a good few feet before raising his weapon and firing. Using his lighting fast reflexes, Double D rolled in mid-air. Though none of the rounds hit him, a few did tear through his cloak, leaving good sized holes behind. To close a call for him.

After landing, Double D raised his guns. The Black Box fell for his feint, raising his shield in front of him to block. Instead of firing, Double D dashed forward. His first strike was block by the shield, but the soldier couldn't stop two simultaneous blows. The second gun's blade cut into the man's left arm.

The soldier immediately jumped back, seemingly ignoring the added damage it did to his arm. "That would have hurt, if I still felt pain."

Double D, with some help from his x-ray vision, quickly figured out what the soldier meant. "The suit emits an electronic pulse that dampens your nervous system. That why each move you make is so calculated and flawless. Am I right?"

"You're quite smart." The soldier said. He came forward again, following up each of his swings with another. Finally he came down with a mighty blow, intent on cleaving the bladed shield into Double D's head. "But not smart enough to beat me!"

Double D raised his guns and fired a couple of rounds into the man's chest. Though the soldier felt no pain, the force of the blows forced his body back enough for Double D to moved away and get behind the soldier. It was only then, since he was preoccupied by the battle, that he noticed May and Van. They had not moved an inch.

"Get moving. Now, preferably, while he's stunned." Van nodded and began to guide May, who looked slightly dazed, over to the server.

It did not take long for the soldier to take notice. Not taking long enough to recover, he lurched forward to attack. Double D quickly moved in-between and raised his guns to block. When the guns and the shield made contact, he pushed back and sent the Black Box reeling into one of the computers.

Double D checked his guns hastily. The block was not the best as it seemed the blades did not meet. Rather, it seemed that the shield's blade had sliced deep into his guns, rending them unusable. Angry welled up in him as he holstered he guns and walked toward the soldier in a noticeably dark manner.

The Black Box slowly rose from the floor but stopped when he realized Double D was standing over him. The boy's gaze froze him on the spot.

"I don't care if you have nerve dampeners…" Double D said in cold anger. He grabbed one of the monitors, an older boxier model, and lifted it up. "You are going to feel this." With all the force his arm could provide, he brought the monitor down on the super soldier's head. The screen broke into pieces on contact and the force of the blow sent the man's head reeling into the table. Dazed from the blow, the soldier tried to get up. Double D, with a new monitor in hand, sent him back down with another blow.

This time, he did not get back up.

"I liked those guns." He said, throwing the monitors remains on top of the soldier's unconscious body. He walked over to the server, where Van and May were. "Any luck with the documents?"

May had already wired in her hacking equipment and was apparently hard at work. "Hold on a sec. Most of this will just be getting past all the security they put in place. The download itself will be a cinch."

Van walked over to the door and looked out into the hallway. "Well you might want to hurry it up." He held up his shotguntar to emphasize his point. "We can't have much longer until someone shows up." He immediately turned and aimed his shotguntar as he soon as he heard the sound of heavy footprints and nearly pulled the trigger when he saw Kevin round the corner.

Double D noticed just in time. "Stop, he's with me!"

Van lowered his gun and looked from Kevin to Double D with a raised eyebrow. "Really? No joke?" He took one hard look at Kevin. "You have a lieutenant for an ally? So you're the one who got rid of the guards for us, I guess?"

"Yeah, no joke." Kevin answered as he entered the room. He looked at Van's shotguntar as he entered. "Cool gun."

"Thanks. At least there's someone who appreciates it."

Kevin redirected his attention to May and Double D. "Are you guys done? The inspection's gonna be over with soon."

"Not quite." Double D sighed. "May is giving it her all, but the security codes are tough."

Kevin smiled and cracked his knuckles. "Let's see if I can't fix that." He joined May at the server, looking over the stream of numbers and letters. "Whoa, this is tough." He kept looking over the coding, shaking his head slowly and unhappily. "This is not standard encryption or security codes." He walked over to one of the computers and began typing. "With a little luck, I'll be able get through the security codes. You'll be able to download the files to your drive but you'll need to decrypt them later."

"Good, because I have the feeling that we're going to have-" Double D heard the slow taps of feet moving on the hard tile floor. But they were far off, so he was the only one who could possible hear the sounds. "Scratch that. We probably only have a few minutes, so you might want to get cracking."

It took Kevin, with a few of May's suggestions, a minute or two to hack the security system and get the files ready to download. May looked to Double D and glanced toward Van. No words were needed, he understood. They still had a plan.

"Van…" Double D said, pausing for a little longer than he really should have. "Could you check the hall, make sure no one's coming."

"'K." Van said, holding his weapon over his shoulder. While he was momentarily distracted, May quickly inserted both flash drives and downloaded the documents. One she stuck in her pocket. Once he had turned around, she threw the other one to Van.

"Thanks." He said, actually sounding grateful. "We should team up more often." He entered into the hall.

No one felt the need to overstay their welcome, so Double D, May and Kevin followed Van out into the hall.

May made a quick glance to Kevin, suspicion lining her face. But, in that quick moment, Kevin noticed and gave her a glare that either meant that he was hurt by the action or irritated at her for looking at all.

"So is he coming back with us?" She asked Double D in a hushed whisper. She was not there when the old hideout was raided, but she heard the story enough to know only the details that the others knew. Not what Double D knew. Not the truth that, hopefully, wouldn't burden him much longer.

"If he wants to." Double D said, making sure that with that one line Kevin knew what was going on. "I sincerely hope you do."

"No worries." Kevin said. "I'm tired of this place anyway."

Van looked back just as they reached an intersection of the halls. "This is where we part. We'll take different routes out of the complex to confuse them." He turned left, but stopped and looked to them once more. "Also, don't die. You are actually pretty nice and I look forward to seeing you guys again." He waved to them. "Bye." Then he was gone.

"Let's go." Double D said about to continue but then he stopped. "Wait a moment. Van has the van! How will we get back without getting caught?"

_Clink!_

Kevin grinned as Double D and May stared at what he held in his hands. "We'll take my ride."

"Hey you!" The three looked back down the rear hall and saw several uniformed men running toward them. Behind them was an armed Black Box, probably the same the one that was in the data room.

"Run!" Double D yelled the order. He almost pulled out his guns before remembering that they no longer worked. Reluctantly, he turned his back and ran, just as the men opened fire. No bullets hit him, but in a narrow hallway, all the shots were near misses. That is what had him worried.

"How much further?" May shrieked out as a piece of the wall exploded near her head.

Kevin pointed to a door. "Not far, through that door." The door led to the outside into some sort of parking lot that was behind the building. It was rather open, in Double D's opinion it was bad for their situation, but it seemed Kevin had planned ahead and parked right outside the door.

"Let's hurry up!" Double D said. He held a hand out to Kevin, who nodded and handed his gun over. "I'll get on the roof of the car and try to hold them off. Kevin, you drive like hell."

"We were outta here yesterday." It was amazing that he could joke in light of the situation. All Double D could hope for now was that Amy was set up and ready to give support fire.

He turned and began firing. He must have taken out at least five or six of the pursuers. Having lost about half their group, the remainders slowed down considerably, but not the Black Box. He rushed past the rest and most likely initiated a burst because he became a blur. Not even Double D's eyes could fully track him.

"Damn!" Double D aimed and fired, but each shot did not even come close to its target. The Black Box came closer still and, though not clear, Double D could see him draw his sword. Double D moved back as fast as he could, but the katana's tip cut through the front of his shirt.

Thinking quickly, Double D lifted his leg and kicked into the soldier's chest. It sent him backward and probably knocked the wind out of him, but Double D knew that the effect wouldn't last long. He quickly turned and ran for the door. Kevin and May were already in the car. Double D exited the building and jumped on top of the car's roof. He turned and started firing at the Black Box, who had apparently recovered from the blow.

Again the Black Box dodged the shots effortlessly, but Double D kept firing until the completely unexpected happened…

The gun ran out of ammo.

Now useless, Double D let the gun fall out of his hands. The Black Box approached the car now. Though Kevin was pulling away from the building, the Black Box jumped up and was coming down on Double D with his bladed shield.

"_No place to dodge without getting left behind! I am going to have to take the hit!"_

Double D braced himself but a loud bang drew his head up. One moment he saw the Black Box attacking, the bladed shield lightly cutting Double D's arm, and the next he saw a spray of red come out from one side of the man's head. He fell to the side and landed on the pavement.

"_Amy."_ Double D thought gratefully.

As Kevin speed away from the military building, more men came pouring out. But as the came, Amy sniped, picking away at the force like a heron spearing fish. She must have been using a silencer because the soldier's seemed confused as to where the shots were coming from.

Double D crawled from the car roof and into the car itself. Kevin was driving with May in the passenger seat. A large container, labeled 'Project Achilles', occupied the back seat so Double D was forced to sit atop it.

"You okay?" Kevin asked.

Double D checked his arm. The bleeding had already stopped and Double D could see new skin thread itself across the wound. "The cut is not that deep, so it should fully heal in a few minutes or so."

Everyone in the car jumped when a loud metal denting thud resound on the roof. They all sighed in relief when they saw Amy, with Eddy's rifle in hand, climbed through the open window.

"Van got away okay, but you guys cut it close. Getting out just when I got there." She said.

Double D's eyebrow rose high. "Really? What was the hold up?"

"Wes and some other guy stopped me." She sighed, her face turning impassive. "He was an X-ian, a fast one at that, named Edwin, but he kept calling himself Eraser. He attacked me."

"Why would they attack you? I thought you were on their side." Kevin asked.

"Eraser said that my uncle sent him to get me. But I'm not on their side, not anymore." Amy said. "But Wes didn't attack me, he left. In fact, I think he tried to warn me about Eraser." A chill ran up her spine as she remembered the fight against him. "There was something definitely wrong about him."

"I see." Double D did not sound confident. He could tell that there were things that his radar couldn't register. But that could all change with what he had gotten today.

After a few minutes Kevin looked out his window and saw the many warehouses of the Niche. Kevin looked back to them. "We'll have to ditch the car at some point, might as well be at the entrance to the Niche, we can walk back to the café from there. Double D, could you help me carry that box? It's kinda big and really heavy."

"Sure." Double D said. He looked down at the box. He didn't know what Project Achilles was, but if Kevin felt that they needed a box with its label, it must have been important. "I'll ask Harriet to take the car in. He won't tell anyone who owned it previously."

* * *

"Master Metchel?" Wes called out. He entered a room that served as one of the doctor's many science laboratories. Out of all of labs that Wes checked, this was the last one Metchel was usually seen in. But, sure as sunshine, it was here the doctor was. He quickly hid whatever it was he was working on.

"Why are you here? You know how sensitive my work is." Metchel said somewhat bitterly.

Wes nodded. "Yes sir, I know how these past few turn of events has disgruntled you. But I have good news. Double D and Van's mission into the military base was a success. However, there are also reports that Project Achilles has been stolen."

"Bah." Metchel spat while flinging his arms up. "Achilles is such an outdated old thing. Hardly a concern of ours."

"Yes sir."

"I have more good news." A voice said. Wes and Metchel looked around before their eyes settled on a ripple in Wes' shadow. Slowly, like a person emerging from a pool of water, Eraser emerged from the shadow and stood in front of Wes. "The capture of your niece is proceeding well. She is still with the New Dawn mercenaries."

"Excellent." Metchel said. "Soon Van will deliver to us the data. Now, the capture of Amy and the other rogue is all my plan needs now." Though it was quick, Wes could see Metchel glance his way.

"Understood." Wes said. "I will get Amy back to HQ-"

Eraser cut in. "Actually, I would like to handle her. I think it would be best if you handled the other one. You let him escape last time anyway." He looked to Metchel. "Is this arrangement alright?"

"Yes." Metchel said. "I believe you, Eraser, are better prepared to fight Amy."

With a deep, sadistic, maddening chuckle, Eraser disappeared as he came. Through Wes' shadow.

"Do not let him trouble you." Metchel guide Wes over to a console, where a hologram of some sort of schematic was shown, if needed. "I need Amy in one piece; no harm will come to her."

"She's my only friend."

"I know." Metchel activated the console, and allowed Wes to look at the designs in front of them. "What do you think of this? I hope it will accomplish all of our goals."

Wes looked at the holo-file, labeled 'Project Hydra'. "It's most certainly a step forward."

* * *

Double D, Kevin, May and Amy entered into Café K. Double D and Kevin were sore, having towed the crate in Kevin's car all the way from the Niche to the Garage. Oddly, they found the door there locked and so they had to come in through the front door.

Now they know why the door was locked. The café looked no different than any other day. Lee was behind the counter serving drinks. Nazz, Jimmy and Sarah were in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. Meanwhile Ginger, ever restless, weaved around everyone's legs until she found Double D's. Everything looked normal…

Except for the six police officers.

One thought ran through Double D's mind. _"How could they figure out who attacked the base so quickly?"_ One man stood up. His uniform was slightly more decorated than the other officers; he was also older and sported a two piece mustache. Double D had seen him before and recognized him as Police Chief Theodore Peterson.

"Well, hello, Mr. Eddward." Peterson said, sipping at a cup of tea. "Hmmm. Licorice spice, my favorite. I may just become a regular costumer." He set the cup down and began walking over towards them. "I'm sorry to bother you but I need you to answer some questions about the death of Jackson Taylor…

"Or, more specifically, his murder."

* * *

Author's Notes: Dun Dun Dun Dah! The kids caught off guard! Projects Achilles and Hydra! Double D's growing ferocity! What could this all mean? And what will it lead them to? I hope to update sometime soon!


	12. Chapter 12: Enemies and Allies Part 1

Chapter 12: The Difference between Enemies and Allies, Part 1

* * *

Chief Peterson sat at his table, calmly sipping his tea. "You certainly serve quite the interesting brew. I never really acquired a taste for coffee, unlike my father who was police chief before me. So I enjoy the somewhat growing rarity of tea."

Double D sat across from him. A glass, filled with milk, had been lad before him earlier but remained untouched.

"Oh, drink up my boy!" Peterson said. He reached below the table and pulled out various items, including a large leather bound journal. "From what I can gather, milk is your preferred drink."

"You read my journal?! How did you even find it?!" Double exclaimed, taking the journal.

"I skimmed and it turns out your security is actually rather lax." The Chief sighed. "Did you really think that a few children, locked doors and a few encryptions would stop someone who really wanted to find out about you all? Certainly not like what just happened at the military base."

Double D made a quick glance towards his friends. The others had been herded by the officers to a far corner of the café and had been mostly quiet, but now one spoke out.

"Don't listen Double D!" Jonny yelled. "He just pissed 'cause the police are stuck as the army's errand boys!"

The police chief chuckled at that. "Who says the military even knows I'm here? As far as they know, I'm leaving for a fishing trip to Wisconsin and won't be back until sometime in the next three days." Suddenly his witty demeanor was gone and his eyebrows furrowed. "Now it is time to dispose of the games. I have you and your friends as hostages. You, Eddward, might be able to kill me and all my men but not before three or four of your friends get caught in the crossfire."

"What do you know?" Double D asked.

"Everything you have written down on every piece of paper and computer in this place. I know it all, word for word." Peterson answered.

The gears in Double D's head started rolling. _Photographic memory. I should know; I nearly have it myself. A very useful and sometimes dangerous ability._

Peterson closed his eyes and began reading as if from a piece of paper. Double D knew that although he could have said everything in perfect detail, he was summarizing. "All of you, save Amy Metchel, were from the town of Peach Creek. However, once the Year of Death occurred everyone else in the town died. You all were forced to fend for yourselves and so started up your mercenary company, New Dawn. The Kankers did not join you, choosing to forsake their roguish past, and went out to fend for themselves among 'model society'. They eventually started up this café, which was once a gathering place for hackers. At that time May relapsed and took up hacking as a hobby, becoming The Beaver, a notorious hacker with enough arrest warrants to put her away for several lifetimes." They all looked at May, who flustered red from head to toe, but Peterson continued uninterrupted. "The rest of you barely got by, so Double D (I can call you Double D, right?) went to a man named Dr. Metchel to gain quite unique powers. Double D then faked an argument with Kevin so that the latter could be place in the military as a spy. Double D hoped that this would allow him to learn more about what Metchel was planning. You recently took jobs that ended with the death of Senator Warren, glad I didn't vote for him, and his security." Peterson opened his eyes and was welcomed by clearly stunned faces, even among his own officers. From the looks on their faces, Double D assumed that they didn't know that the police chief had a photographic memory either. "Am I missing anything? Hobbies, likes/dislikes, anything?"

"Humorous." Double D stated in a dead pan voice. He put his folded hands and placed them beneath his chin, concentrating. He and the Police Chief were now playing a game of chess, a most invisible game of chess that the other people, who were ironically pieces in said game, in the room could not see. If they could see it, Double D's friends would be most concerned, as Peterson had just done the equivalent of taking a bishop, a rook and promoting one of his pawns to a knight while Double D offered only marginal opposition.

He had his next move, but it was going to be risky. "Well, since the military does not know you're here, I'm going to assume that you're not here to arrest us."

"You would assume correctly."

"So what do you intend to do with us?" Double D asked. "I believe you mentioned Jackson being murdered when we entered. I would like to know everything about this incident and I believe you are obligated to tell us that much."

"Ah yes, that." Peterson sighed. "We gathered from the shops around this area that he visited this place and stayed for a sizable amount of time." From a pocket in his jacket, the police chief pulled out a file and placed it on the table. Double D opened the file and then wished he hadn't. "He was found totally dismembered in an alley near here. I think he may have been trying to get to this place while fleeing a pursuer." He took a file out and started circling the body's torso. The audience felt that they were watching a TV crime show, in a creepy sort of way. "The perpetrator was quite thorough. Whatever he attacked him for; he did not want the body identified. He removed the victims head and all twenty digits."

Peterson took another object from his pocket: Jackson's wallet. "This is the only reason we could identify him. Founded it placed under a dumpster in a most intentional manner. We took some skin and hair samples, but this guy is not in the system. We did find some abnormalities in his DNA, but we don't know what they mean at this point."

Double D looked at the photos. _"This is obviously the work of an X-ian. The cuts are too clean and precise. There's no way the average human being could cut right through a body, a moving one at that, in one swing. But why?"_ Double D could not think of a reason for an X-ian to attack Jackson, even with the whole absurd mess that occurs in the training room, unless Metchel ordered them to.

"Something happened." Double D stated. "Jackson and Metchel had a falling out of some kind and Metchel wanted that loose end tied up." Double D turned to Amy. "Would know of any reason that would give Jackson incentive to dislike Metchel?"

"No one likes my uncle." Amy said defiantly. "Everyone just tolerates him because he had the backing of very high up friends, even outside the government. But Jackson was always a bit of an odd one. If anyone was going to be a turncoat, it would be him."

"Enough of these words of murder and coward's subterfuge!" Rolf shouted. Everyone turned to the corner that he was sitting in, two of the six officers at his side. "Other than the murder of flamboyant Jackson, why do you concern yourself with we, the remnants of destroyed homes?!"

Peterson cocked an eyebrow at the teen and then turned to the others. "Does he always talk like that?"

Kevin chuckled, humored by the recent event. "Speaking better than when I last met him."

Double D nodded. "Indeed. He only refers to himself in the third person in rare occasion." He shook his head, reprimanding himself. "But he is quite right. We are getting off topic. Why are you here?"

"In short, I want to use you." Peterson said.

"We aren't tools!" Jonny said. He jumped up onto one of the tables, his hand pointed skyward. "Viva la-"

Sarah shut him up with a quick jab in the ribs. "Be a rebel on your own time, my shift isn't over yet."

Peterson tilted his head back in forth. "Alright, don't think it so much as using you. Rather think of it as me hiring you."

"In order to hire, you must pay." Double D said. He used the line so often with their clients that he actually stated it automatically when someone outside their group or regular employers said "hire". "How much are you willing to pay, Police Chief Peterson?"

Peterson found the opportunity irresistible. He reached for his wallet and peaked in. "Eh, how about twenty dollars and a Flying J coupon?" The looks he got from the occupants of the room, his own officers included, told him that no one found it funny. "Alright, how about you do what I'm gonna tell ya because it's the right thing and I'll mail you an IOU…" He was still receiving blank stares. "… or I could arrest you all right now on charges of conspiracy, murder, assassination, hacking, illegal arms possession, theft, assault, battery, aiding and abetting and I think capturing a rogue lieutenant and two super soldiers might put a few people in high places in my back pocket. The rest of you probably would get life, if you're lucky."

Double D knew that Peterson, despite his humorous nature, would not hesitant to arrest them all without feeling an ounce of remorse. He probably would sleep more comfortably at night because of it. "Very well, what do have in mind?"

Peterson smiled, and then became serious once more. "Let's be honest, neither of us know what the hell is going on. My proposition is that we work together on this. Something's going on, something that, if it gets out of hand, could kill a lot of people. Hell, maybe that's the goal.

"Plus, you're the only lead I have. I have a case dealing with this, I'm involved and the only way out, other than dying, to stop them before they do whatever it is that they're going to do."

"Sounds like a reasonable reason to seek our assistance." Double D said. "Very well, we'll work with you. In exchange, I trust you won't apprehend us."

"Of course."

Double D wrote on a small slip of paper and handed it to the chief. "You can reach me with this number. It's untraceable and will work anytime, anywhere so long as you can get a signal."

"Thank you." Peterson said, taking it. "You won't be hearing or seeing me for a few days. Military thinks I'm heading out on a trip, remember?" He waved his hand and the officers started filing out of the café. Peterson took his hat and turned to Double D. "You know, I think I now know why I decided to come. Before everything changed, I used be called the Bulldog, Bulldog Peterson, never caught an innocent man in his entire career and there was never a question of guilt. Never let go when he had the prep. Guess I got tired of being a lapdog, these past few years."

Double D smiled and extended his hand to the man. "It will be an honor working with you."

Peterson took the hand and shook it. "The honor is mine. You're all good people, even if you are criminal mercenaries and I'll have to incarcerate every last one of ya someday anyway." He turned and walked away, until he was halfway through the door. "I wasn't kidding about becoming a regular! Really good tea." He turned to leave, but turned back to the group once more. "If get anything from that hacking operation that just happened at the military base, you'd tell me, right?"

"You'll be the first." Double D said.

Despite having been the one to accept the deal, Double D still felt the compulsion to turn to his friends and say: "What just happened?" He turned back to the door. Through its large window panes he could see the officers getting into their cars and leaving. It was now his move again, but Double D did not have a strategy at all…

* * *

Wes watched the event unfolded from the top of a building across the street from Café K. The police officers, Wes took special care to mentally note that Police Chief Peterson was among their numbers, had scattered to their vehicles by this point and pulled away by taking different routes.

"So it seems that I couldn't stop the police from coming into contact with him." Wes sighed. His appearance had change greatly. His hair still glowed so bright that it was translucent, but he covered this with a hooded cloak, not too dissimilar to the ones used by New Dawn. His eyes no longer glowed, but his irises seemed to remain a perpetual light purple color.

"Ah, how cute, spying on your girlfriend?!"

Wes did not need to turn around to know who it was. "Two things, Eraser. One: Amy is not my girlfriend. Two: My shadow is mine, not your private rabbit hole."

Eraser walked up next to Wes and planted his foot on the rise in front of them. "That's funny, I don't remember saying Amy, specifically, and there's nothing you can do to stop me from using your, or anyone else's, shadow as I see fit." He looked at Wes and the two of them placed their hands on their preferred weapons, a katana and combat knives respectively. "That's my power."

After locking gazes for a long unblinking two minutes, the two X-ians relaxed their arms and pulled away from each other.

Eraser sighed in a mocking manner, rubbing his forehead. "Really, shouldn't you be busy trying to track down your own target." He immediately turned on Wes. "And I'm not talking about your vendetta against Double D!"

"My business is none of your concern."

Eraser relented. "Very well. But I feel that I just have to let you know…

"… I'm probably gonna kill him first!"

Eraser immediately jumped back, as Wes' katana came so close that it would have taken off his head rather than a few hairs on his slicked head if he had not. He almost missed seeing the strike before it happened because Wes moved so fast. "Hey, light bulb head, I'm just stating facts." He pulled out one of his combat knives and locked blades with Wes before quickly kicking back and moving away. As good as Eraser was, he knew he couldn't beat Wes in a straight up fight. Wes was stronger and his sword gave him longer reach and better leverage.

"My mission is to recover Amy, our pretty little rogue." Eraser chuckled. "Double D will probably get in the way, and then I'll have to put him out of his misery. Metchel will probably be sad that he lost his first guinea pig, but in the end it's an acceptable loss." The katana's blade whistled towards him once more and Eraser jumped backwards in order to avoid it. "Oh, still touchy on that subject, I see… Just can't get over the fact that they gave what you were bred for to a little dweeb, can you?!"

Wes did not budge. He kept going at Eraser, swinging his blade with precision. Each time Eraser rolled away from the blows, moving farther and farther back. "Amy beat you, so in comparison to Double D, you're just a gnat." Wes swung, applying enough force behind the blow to make the air crack with a sonic boom. "Someone like you has no hope of evening matching him!"

"Maybe." Eraser said. He dodged the sonic boom by jumping, the force of the displaced air pushing him back. He landed on a shadow, being cast by cooling vent, and sank into it as if it was a pool of black water. "Guess we'll have to find out… Either way, I still have to recover the Esper."

Wes watched the black ops super soldier sink fully into the pool of black before sheathing his sword. He did not apply emotional responses to many things, but he would easily admit that he did not like Eraser. He found him to be too unpredictable and unreliable. Eraser preferred to distract himself with the pain of others rather than finishing a mission in a timely and effective manner…

Correction: He despised Eraser with a passion.

"Freak." Wes said, allowing himself a growl. However, Eraser was right about one thing. Wes himself did have a mission to complete, but the person he was after was proving hard to find…

* * *

Double D sat at his usual table. Before him were the broken wrecks that used to be his bladed handguns. In his heart, Double D was not a person of violent nature. At least, to the best of his knowledge. But he did like these guns. In today's world, weapons, especially these two, made him feel safe and confident that he could protect others.

Amy took the seat across from him. "I'm assuming that you'll want those replaced?" She took one of the guns in her hands and looked at the damage. "Those shields are really something. I can make you new ones, exactly the same."

"No, that's not necessary." Double D sighed, taking the other gun. "I liked these guns, but they've served their purpose. I will need better, more advanced ones if I'm going to be taking on any more of those Black Boxes."

"Alright, I'll come up with something." Amy said with a faint smile on her lips. She got up to leave. "Oh, by the way, could you see me later…" She glanced over to the kitchen, where Marie was helping Nazz and Jimmy. "In private."

Double D stared at her inquisitively, but nodded regardless. He himself got up from the table and went over to the computer room. Kevin and May were in the room, busy decrypting the files.

He walked right behind Kevin, watching the data and numbers file across the various computer screens. "What's our progress?"

Kevin turned sharply. Apparently Double D had inadvertently startled him. "Damn! Don't do that!" After allowing his heart to slow down its beating, he responded. "I know a few of the encryption codes, so some of the data we decoded right off the bat, but…"

"The rest of it is tough." May said, her eyes completely focused on the screen. Double D had figured out a while ago that she was in "Beaver" mode and that while she was like this, she did not like being interrupted and became easily irritated. Well, more irritable than a Kanker usually was. "And I'm not talking a few passwords tough. I'm talking Pentagon egg heads type tough." She swiveled her chair and gave him scowl, a telltale sign of frustration. "This is the Fort Knox of databanks. I may have it done by tomorrow or end of next week, I don't know!"

"I understand." Double D answered reassuringly while taking a cautionary step back. "Just keep working at it. I'm sure you'll manage." He turned to Kevin and the two decided that it would be best it May worked on this task alone. "Now that you're free, would you mind showing what is in that crate from the military base that you absconded with?"

"Sure." Kevin said with a grin. "Trust me, you'll like it. This might bring me into even Eddy's good graces." Double D responded with a wide grin of his own. He knew that for Kevin to make a comment like that, it must be good.

* * *

Even after everything Double D had seen, even when he considered what he himself was, he could hardly believe what was in front of him.

The crate itself was so heavy, Double D had wondered who Kevin had to pay off in order to help him get it into his car or even how the suspension of the vehicle handled the load. Even using all of his strength, Double D had a hard time lifting it. The real surprise came when the two opened the crate.

Inside, amidst the cotton packaging that held the contents in place, was a suit that was a head larger than a tall full grown man. The armor was black and shiny, silver tubes ran the armor's entire length and there was a gun, about the size of dual two by fours placed next to each other and had a blade attachment, next to it. On its other side was a bladed shield weapon. There was a crease in between the top and bottom of the suit as well as running down the limbs. It seemed that the armor could actually just open and fold around the wearer when it needed to be worn. There were also large servos at each joint area, allowing the suit to move much like its user and presumable allowed the wearer to lift heavy objects. The suit had a one size fits all bucket style helmet, not unlike that of the Fetts from the Star Wars series, but rather than having a visor, it featured a jewel like sensor unit with eye holes at either side of it.

"So this is Project Achilles?" Double D asked Kevin.

His large chinned friend responded pounding a fist on its chest. "It was, till it got shelved in favor of Project Zeus. I think Metchel was the lead guy on both. But, either way, both were super soldier projects commissioned by the government that cumulated into new projects."

"A battle suit?" Double D said in disbelief. "It not his usual interest, Metchel seems to be more adept at genetics. But I must admit it is possible."

Kevin began listing off the suit's features with his fingers. "It's made of some sort of specialized titanium alloy, can augment strength by one hundred and twenty percent and can run at a speed of ten miles." He showed Double D the suit's feet. Though nothing stood out at first, he soon saw that it had threads underneath the foot armor. "But I betcha it goes a helluva lot faster with these babies." They both took a step back and admired the suit in its entirety.

Double D grimaced. "From the design, most especially because of the helmet and shield, I assumed that this was predecessor of the combat suits used by the Black Boxes?"

"A little bit. Most of the Black Box Project was inspired by Project Zeus, but they carried over the helmet, in a modified way, and the shield because they, the higher ups, found them effective." Kevin stated, handing Double D two files. One was labeled Project Achilles and the other was called Project Black Box. "The Black Box isn't as durable. The Achilles was made more for acting as a bulldozer, leading infantry in hot zones, than a precision weapon. But an advantage the Black Boxes have is their speed."

Double D nodded. "Yes, but I've been wondering… How is it that the Black Boxes avoid the damaging stress that we X-ians undergo when we use our speed?"

"Probably another function of the suit." Kevin theorized. "Metchel probably came up with his own version of the suit by now though…" They both looked back to the Achilles.

Double D pondered the uses for such a piece of equipment. He was sure that no matter the applications, there was no doubt that it would become very useful in the near future.

* * *

Double D wandered up to the room where Eddy was resting. Double D looked down at the youngest Ed. The largest Ed was, as always, right by his side.

"How is he holding up?" Double D asked Ed.

Before Ed could speak, a voice interrupted him. "Why don't ya ask me?" Eddy was sitting up in the bed, his body originally obscured by Ed's. His hands were folded in his lap, though the covers went all the way up to his waist. Double D did not need to ask why.

"I'm sorry." Double D said.

Eddy sighed and shook his head. "It's not your fault. We knew where we were going. I don't wanna see you beat yourself up over it."

Double D nodded. "I understand, but I not sure if I'll ever get over it." He looked at the two Eds. He surprised himself when he thought of them that way. No longer could he consider himself one of them. They were still best friends, but he, and they themselves in a way, have gone beyond being simply "the Eds".

Disturbingly, the blood craving he had beforehand, when he saw Eddy after the attack by the thugs, had returned. But this time it was more subdued, as the smell of blood was not as fresh as before. Not only that, but it did not seem to be as interested in the idea of violence as it was beforehand, much to Double D's delight. To Double D, it felt like the thing inside him had been asleep most of the time and stirred only when bothered by blood, anger or other violent instances.

Double D smiled. Whatever this thing was inside of him, it was not invincible. It could be controlled to a degree and, Double D hoped, with the new data from the base he might be able to rid himself of it entirely. He was dealing with far too many demons right now to be worried about any inside of himself.

"Did I miss the joke?" Ed asked, wondering why Double D was smiling.

Double D snapped to his friend's attention and shook his head. "No, Ed, there was no joke. I'm just thinking…" He brushed away his other thought and turned to his two friends. "So, is there anything you two wish to talk about?"

Eddy seemed to be thinking about something, as he turned a little red and was, humorously, using the back of the bed to scratch his head in the place of his hands. "Well, uh, there was something…"

The smallest Ed looked Double D and decided that if there was ever a time to drop the "bomb", it was now. "I think I like Amy."

Contrary to Eddy's expected reaction, Double D simply shrugged. "I do not find that very surprising."

"You don't?"

"I do not. She is kind, sweet, physically attractive and given that you are quite instinctively attracted to nearly every member of the opposite sex, I do not find it surprising in the least that you like her." Double D continued to look at his friend and soon got the message that he was trying to convey. "Oh, no, it's not what you think! I don't have a problem with it! Amy and I were never like that!"

"Really?" Eddy said confused. "Because, since you two were so, you know… So you two weren't an item?"

"Never!" Double D said somewhat loudly. "I admit that I too find her attractive, but I have never considered a relationship with her beyond friendship." Double D scratched his hat. He was never very good when it came to the topic of romance. "Look, if you think you need my permission to date her, you don't require it. I believe that I would find a relationship between the two of you perfectly acceptable… except-"

Eddy grunted, moving his hands out from under the blanket. Both were heavily bandaged. "It's kinda hard to eat on a date when someone has ta feed ya with a spoon."

"Like a baby!" Ed shouted spontaneously, prompting to slap him with his forearm. Unfortunately, the action sent waves of pain up and down Eddy's body. The pain was further enhanced by the pain in his hands. Eddy did not scream outright, but the face he made more than said that he wanted to.

Eddy sighed when the pain started to subside. "It's not so bad. The bullets somehow missed my bones, 'til that jerk start stomping on them. That's when they broke."

Double D sighed. He knew the damage that was done to Eddy's hands. He also knew that there was no hope that Eddy would be able to use them again. No matter how much people consoled him, Double D could not help but feel that it was still his fault…

* * *

Kevin reclined in a chair that resided in the dining room of Café K. Though he was surrounded by the other children of the cul-de-sac, none of them joined him at the table he was at. For the most part, they seemed to be avoiding him like people would do to a pile of vomit.

"_I guess that's what I am to them now."_ He sighed. Unfortunately, Double D had not gotten around to telling them all what had really happened: that Kevin had betrayed them in order to be a mole in the military. Though he had considered telling them himself, Kevin knew that they would probably only believe it from Double D's mouth and therefore said nothing.

"Sitting by yourself, eh?" Kevin looked up at the newcomer. He had hoped that it was Nazz, but it was just Double D.

"I thought you were up talking to the other two Eds." Kevin grunted.

Double D set down his cup of milk and pills. "Yes, well, I believe that I was more depressing Eddy than encouraging him."

"Encouraging him to do what?" Double D knew that Eddy would be angered if he said more than that and so instead choose to down his drink rather than answering. Kevin shrugged. "Fine, be that way."

Double D looked around the café. The Kankers had closed the café early, due to the arrival of the police chief and his team, so they had gotten most of their work done early as well. They and the others were now going about the activities they did after the sun went down.

Though they could not be seen, they knew that Sarah and Jimmy were up in the bunk room. Jimmy commonly worked on and sold suits and dresses on the side, being very good at it actually, with Sarah assisting him. There were times when it seemed that he made more money than the café. Rolf, Jonny and Lee were off in a corner, playing Poker, Blackjack or Five Card Stud while betting with what money they had. To be more precise, Lee was attempting to play and work on the café's budget at the same time. Marie was by herself in the kitchen, making dinner for everyone else.

However, Nazz was nowhere to be seen. Kevin scanned the entire room, but he could not see her. "Hey, dude, you know where Nazz went?"

Double D sighed. "She is probably where it seems we all go to think nowadays…"

That was how Kevin found himself standing on Café K's roof. The wind was picking up in speed and he could see all the building go higher and higher until they worked their way up to the skyscrapers near the middle of the city. Everything was being caster in deeper and deeper darkness as the last rays of the sun faded. He could see why the others used it as an escape. The view was beautiful.

Nazz was sitting next to the opened window. Her hair was longer than he remembered and braided. Her face was a solid mask of sullenness. He had never seen her so sad.

"Nazz?" Kevin said, startling her. "I was worried, 'cause you just kinda disappeared."

"Uh, yeah." Nazz sighed. "It's just, after everything, it's so hard to believe that you're back…" She looked up at him, tears lining the rim of her eyes. "Did you really betray us?"

"Only because Double D asked me too." Kevin answered. "I was the most likely candidate, being a kind of-jerk and all." He got down on his knees, bringing himself down to her eye level. "Listen… I that I can never take back what I did and I am not asking for forgiveness. I don't expect any, but what I want you to know is that I did it to protect you."

Nazz smiled weakly. "I do forgive you, Kevin." She wrapped her arm around him, giving him a startle much like the one he had given her moments before. But eventually his body relaxed and he returned the gesture in kind.

Nazz let out a soft chuckle. "But you could take me out to dinner tomorrow. For good measure." A bubble formed in their throats and the found themselves laughing…

And the whole neighborhood resounded with their laughter.

* * *

Double D entered the bunk room just as Jimmy and Sarah had completed their work and leaving. As he saw Amy sitting on the edge of the window sill, he hoped that she hadn't done anything to cause them to leave. He knew it was unlikely, but still…

"If I recall correctly, you expressed the wish to see me in private…" Double D said. He sat down on a lower bunk bed, perpendicular to Amy's placement on the window. "You know that I am perfectly willing to speak to you about any subject."

"Uh, yeah…" She said, though it sounded more like a mumble. "It's actually something I've been meaning to ask you for awhile…" She turned her head away, as if she feared something. "What do you think… of me?"

Out of the billion questions that joggled around inside Double D's head, plus the billion more that had made their way into the mess much like how a meteor strikes a planet, this new one genuinely caught him of guard. It could easily be liken to his mental version of the K-T Event.

Even though Double D was not an expert in the practical field of "relationships", only marginally better than the other two Eds, one did not need to be to know what the implications of such a statement were… and the consequences of answer that was not carefully worded. What he said now would transform their relationship irreparable, be the change good or bad.

"Uh, well…" He bit his own tongue in punishment. He had only said two words and he was already off to a bad start. _"Come now, Eddward, get control of yourself! Amy is not one of those girls that get all weepy when they hear something they don't like, so just tell her the truth!" _Distantly, another part of him disagreed. _"Yeah, she the kind of girl who _can_ beat you into pulp for saying something she does not like."_

He sighed. "Amy, you are a good, dear friend and I'd like to keep it that way. I simply do not want to take our relationship beyond that realm."

"It's because of Marie, isn't it?" Amy asked without looking up. "I don't need to be empathic to know that you like her."

"Partly." Double D admitted. "But also because I do not the powers of empathy or foresight to know that I am not the best man for you. You, of all people, could do a lot better than me."

Rising up at his words, Amy grew frustrated. "But that's it, no one's better than you! You're smart, strong, caring, confident! You're-"

Double D cut her off. "Very much like you and therein lies the problem. We are too similar. I am not certain if it applies to everyone, but it is my belief that a romantic relationship is not about being with someone of similar character, but to be with someone whom is unlike you so that both parties can learn and grow with each other." He rose as well and came closer to her. "We have little to offer each other in character and so, by default, I believe our relationship would be just as limited."

"And so that's why it's Marie…" She sighed, sitting back down on the window sill.

"Truth be told, in my younger days I feared her." Double D stated. "I feared her because I did not yet understand her. She was too aggressive and bold, recklessly so. But she knew things that I could not understand on my own, even with my intelligence." He took a seat next to her. "You see, even though we are not in a romantic relationship, I have changed much because of her. I was smart and caring, but it was not until I started interacting with her that I became strong and confident, and not just in the physical manner. In comparison, she is now more cautious, still carrying her impulsiveness but now having the intelligence and rigidness to control it for her benefit."

Double D let his words sink in, he did not think she would appreciate more of what sounded like lecturing. He was about to speak again when a noise behind them alerted him to a new presence. He quickly turned, instincts telling him to be ready to fight, to see only Kevin and Nazz.

"Oh, sorry about that!" He said, quickly unclenching his fists. "I had forgotten that you two were up on the roof. So, uh, how long have you been standing there?"

Kevin grunted. "We came in around "…in my younger days I feared her."" This comment earned him a prompt jab in the ribs, courtesy of Nazz.

"Don't worry, dudes, we won't say a word." She assured them. She turned to the green clad boy next to her. "Right, Kevin?"

"Whatever." He said indifferently. After Double D and Amy vacated the sill so that the other two could enter the room, Nazz and Kevin left. But not before Kevin gave them a friendly and reassuring wave.

Somewhat dreading the return to the previous topic, Double D turned to Amy. "I know that I, in some way, have probably hurt your feelings, even if you won't show it. I therefore apologize for anything that may have sounded hurtful."

She shook her head. "No it's quite alright. I understand you perfectly." She turned her back to him and left the room.

That left Double D alone in the bunkroom, emotionally and mentally torn in about a thousand different pieces. Not only did he feel that he betrayed Amy's companionship, but also that of his oldest friend Eddy. How could he possible look at them normally, now that he knew what he had always suspected with great fear? He had become a wedge. A horrible wedge that was placed between two of his best friends.

After a few minutes of muttering and arguing with himself, as well as coming close to a complete meltdown or two, Double D decided that the best thing to do would be to get away for a few hours. But to where? He could only think of one place other than the roof, which he decided was too close to the immediate dilemma. Therefore, there was actually only one place to go…

* * *

Double D walked into the garage adjacent to the café. In here were all of their group's vehicles, including Jonny's jeep, the SUV that was used by anyone who needed it and, of course, his black custom motorcycle…

Or at least, it was in the garage.

His motorcycle was nowhere to be found, but in its place was another one. It looked similar, but the front above the front was elongated and appeared to contain more compartments than his cycle and there were also metal panels on the sides that, if someone were to sit on the contraption, would cover the driver's legs and arms.

"Did someone get a new bike?" He wondered aloud. "But, if that were the case, where's mine then?"

Double D cautiously sat down on the motorcycle, and that was when he noticed it. A small panel next to the gas and speed pedometers, roughly the size and shape of a human hand. It was the bio-scanning system he made, so that no one could use his vehicle except him…

This wasn't a new bike; it was his old one.

"So, cutie pie, you like?"

Double D looked up and saw Marie standing in the doorway.

"Did you modify it? I only wanted the dent undone."

Marie nodded. "Well, I thought that since things have been getting more dangerous lately, you're gonna need more protection." She grabbed a flap that hung off the front part of motorcycle and lifted it up. The metal panels in front of Double D rose up and slid back towards him. He also pulled his legs in, as the two panels at his sides expanded to touch the panels in front of him. The result of the combination was a shield that covered his entire front and sides. There were even small windows in the shield that he could see through.

"Intriguing." Double D said. "But, I doubt that I'll have time to deploy in it in an altercation if I have to reach out."

She came around behind him and pointed to the left handle. "That's what this lever here is for!" Double D took a sniff of the air. Unsurprisingly, Marie smelled heavily of metal, grease and sweat. He did not mind, but her nearness was starting to make him nervous. He often found that the concept of "personal space" was lost on most people.

"Um, Could you please take a step back?"

"Oh, sorry." Marie said, taking a step back. "So, why are you taking the bike out this late?" She looked at him with curiosity when he held up a helmet.

"Would you like to join me?"

* * *

There a brief flicker of movement in a nearby alleyway as someone stepped further in and out of the open street. Eraser watched from the shadows across the street as Double D pulled out of the garage on his motorcycle. He took note that the blue haired girl, Marie, was riding behind him. The twosome drove down the street and out of sight, leaving a grinning Eraser in their wake.

"Well now, if it isn't my lucky day…" He said in a malicious tone.


	13. Farewell

Dear Readers and the few it may concern,

You all may have noticed my lack of updates and have been wondering the reason why this is. It is with grave displeasure and yet also great humility that I make this announcement: I am leaving this great library known as to pursue a career as a professional author. I came to this decision after much thought. It is not, I assure you all, because I lack motivation. My dreams are still filled with Eds on a grand adventure, small creatures with mythical powers and a world that brings out the naïve explorer in us all. I simply lack the time to create these fantastical tales and I am even more pressed for time in recent days while I try to balance my home life, school life and the time spent trying to get published.

But while I am leaving, I must say that it has been a joy writing here. I first stumbled upon roughly a decade ago and was absolutely enchanted with the stories that the writers here have created. Seeing the interpretations of my favorite entertainments that others have created almost never cease to fill me with delight. Though I will no longer write, I know that I am but a very small fish in an ocean of fanfiction and, like a spirit, I shall continue to roam this site and see what new experiences can be found. My motivation has always been to create new worlds to explore and to find new worlds that must be explored.

In time there may come a time when I return and resume crafting new worlds for others to enjoy here. But by that point I may well be forgotten and shall write under a new name. A new name for one who has learned more of the world in his time gone. But until that time I must focus on my life, create worlds wholly of my own making and create a place for myself in the world of reality.

Goodbye my comrades and always remember to unleash your imaginations.

Sincerely

Pluto Skull Productions, more famously known as Mr. Who.


End file.
